I Like the Way You Shake!

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I Like the Way You ShakeI first had the idea to adapt the song “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” for instruments a few years back.  Originally, it was a song for tambourines or bells, but I re-recorded it this spring as a shakin’ tune.

Each color has its own verse, which means that my students get their moment in the spotlight, shaking one of their colored egg shakers or maracas from my basket (pictured above).  Here’s the song:

I like the way you shake your egg, in perfect harmony
You shake it up and shake it down,
For everyone to see.

That’s the song I hear, that wonderful sound,
Shake shake shake shake shake that egg,
Round and round and round.

If you have a blue egg, shake it in the air,
Make some music, nice and loud, play without a care.

That’s the song I hear, that wonderful sound,
Shake shake shake shake shake that egg,
Round and round and round.

{Repeat, using each color}

I’ve been pumping out instrument songs lately, and I still have a couple left to share with you.  But I’m planning to write some new songs for summer as soon as I get a free minute or two…which, based on my schedule over the next few weeks, could be July before I get around to it!  Thus is the life of a happily busy music therapist/studio teacher :)

Rap, Repeats & Rhythm Sticks

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Rap, Repeats & Rhythm Sticks

Those are the 3 R’s, right? :)  Well they are today here at Listen & Learn, because my latest song incorporates all three. I know what you’re thinking: Rachel and rap don’t sound like a very likely combination. But I have a very healthy respect for most genres, including this one.

In fact, I was completely inspired after my husband showed me this incredible video. Watch it and then try telling me you don’t have even the slightest itch to try it for yourself! Anyway, here’s my lame attempt at rapping:

Repeat, repeat, repeat after me.
As we play our sticks.
Repeat, repeat, repeat after me.
The rhythm goes like this.

Rachel:
Tap, tap, tap. (Your turn!)

Everyone:
Tap, tap, tap.

Repeat, repeat, repeat after me.
As we play our sticks.
Repeat, repeat, repeat after me.
The rhythm goes like this.

{Continue, using different rhythms}

I was explaining my job to some of Zach’s visiting family members yesterday, and one of them jokingly asked, “Is there a such thing as rap therapy?” I had to laugh, because I immediately thought of this song.

By itself, it’s more of a chant than a rap…but I think the beatbox track makes it legit (or as close to legit as I’ll probably ever get). Either way, my kiddos are having fun with the song — not to mention working on important skills like rhythm, imitation, listening, and fine motor movement — which is really all that matters.

Slow & Steady Wins the Race

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Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I have a piano student who would like nothing more than to dive right into each piece, skipping all the intermediate steps and playing both hands together the first time he lays eyes on it. This, of course, causes lots of frustration for him (and me).

“Slow and steady” is a term I’m always using with him, and it applies to many of my other students, as well. Piano pieces aren’t mastered in a day, nor are music therapy goals achieved in a single session.

This song is one I wrote specifically for tone blocks, but my intention is that while my kiddos sing and play along, they are also internalizing the value of going “slow and steady” across settings and situations.

Slow and steady,
Slow and steady,
Ring-a-ding-ding. Ring-a-ding-ding.

Hear the pretty sound,
Echo all around,
Ring-a-ding-ding. Ring-a-ding-ding.

Slow and steady,
Slow and steady,
La-la-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-la.

Hear the pretty sound,
Echo all around,
La-la-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-la.

Slow and steady,
Slow and steady,
Ting-a-ling-a-ling. Ting-a-ling-a-ling.

Hear the pretty sound,
Echo all around,
Ting-a-ling-a-ling. Ting-a-ling-a-ling.

I’m sure you recognized the piggybacked tune, which has quite a calming effect on especially energetic groups (like my Church Mice). I also adapted this song for drums, changing the word sounds to “rum-pum-pum, pum”, “thump, thump, thump”, and “boom, boom, boom”.

As much as I love an upbeat song — and that is apparent if you go through my song collection — it’s always nice to take a breather. What are your favorite “slow and steady” tunes?

Surely You Can Shake It

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Shaker Song for Children

This little church mouse sure can.  Shakers are an integral part of my instrument collection because not only do they sound great, but they are colorful and easy to play.  I often incorporate them into the songs I write — particularly those targeting movements and following directions — for those same reasons.

“Surely You Can Shake It” is new to the Listen & Learn collection.  The song combines several goals, including shaking up high, down low, slowly, and quickly.

Surely you can shake it down low,
And surely you can shake it up high.
Surely you can shake it ‘round and ‘round,
But can you make that shakin’ sound?

Ch, ch-ch-ch, ch-ch, ch-ch-ch.
Ch, ch-ch-ch, ch-ch.
Ch, ch-ch-ch, ch-ch, ch-ch-ch.
Ch, ch-ch-ch, ch-ch!

Surely you can shake it real fast,
And surely you can shake it real slow,
Surely you can shake it on the ground,
But can you make that shakin’ sound?

Ch, ch-ch-ch, ch-ch, ch-ch-ch.
Ch, ch-ch-ch, ch-ch.
Ch, ch-ch-ch, ch-ch, ch-ch-ch.
Ch, ch-ch-ch, ch-ch!

Surely you can shake it down low,
And surely you can shake it up high.
Surely you can shake it ‘round and ‘round,
And you can make that shakin’ sound!

It’s fun to hear my students make (or at least, attempt to make) the “ch” sound along with me.  An easy way to target other speech sounds would be to change “ch” to “shh”, “sss” or just about any other syllable.  If you haven’t already noticed, I’m a big fan of using a single song to address multiple goals!

The Rhythm Sticks Waltz

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Song for Children Counting to 3

Every time I use this song in a class or music therapy session, I start by having my students count to 3.  We do it once to begin with, very slowly, and use our fingers as well as our voices.  Gradually we get faster, counting to 3 again and again in rhythm.  Then I explain that they’ve just counted a type of song called a waltz.

Rhythm sticks are a great instrument for this type of activity, because the beat can be heard very clearly.  Younger students seem to have better impulse control while playing sticks as opposed to drums or other types of percussion instruments, though I may experiment a little.

This is a relatively new song, but so far I’ve had lots of fun and success with it.  The concept of counting to 3 over and over again is a bit difficult at first, but once my students can do that, they have laid the foundation for some pretty important music (and non-music) skills.

If you can count to three (1, 2, 3)
Then you can do the rhythm sticks waltz with me.
Just click your sticks and feel the beat,
The rhythm stick waltz is so sweet.

1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, go,
Keep tapping, don’t stop yet,
Just feel the flow.

If you can count to three (1, 2, 3)
Then you can do the rhythm sticks waltz with me.
Just click your sticks and feel the beat,
The rhythm stick waltz is so sweet.

1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, pause,
And take a rest,
Let’s hear the applause!

Of course, when I use this song in a live session or class, we make our own applause :)  We also vary the tempo, going very slowly at first and then seeing how quickly we can play and sing while keeping the steady beat.

I don’t write many songs in 3/4 time, especially not songs meant to be played along to with instruments.  But it’s good to have a few in the mix.  Which waltz-tempo songs do you sing and play with your students?