by Rachel | Listen & Learn Music
I could very easily say that I’m only familiar with Taylor Swift’s music because my students love her, but that would be a bold-faced lie. The truth is, I’ve been a T-Swizzle fan since the beginning, back when she was a country artist.
I like a lot of her songs (and even perform several of them regularly at gigs), but something about Shake It Off grabbed my attention and reeled me in the first time I heard it. This song is fun, catchy, and best of all — self-empowering.
And as appropriate as it is in its original form for some of my music therapy clients, I wanted to create a version that I could use in just about any setting. My adaptation is quite literal; shakers aren’t required, but highly encouraged!
What I’ve noticed most when I sing my version is that it makes everyone want to dance (the same effect the original had on me). Just yesterday I watched as a roomful of tiny kiddos and their parents busted out their best moves while singing along. So. Much. Fun.
I don’t make a habit of adapting super popular songs, but this was one such opportunity I couldn’t resist. I’ll end with an apology, because now you’ll probably have it stuck in your head for the rest of the day ;)
by Rachel | Listen & Learn Music
Let’s be honest: it doesn’t get much cuter than a whole bunch of babies playing instruments together. I’ve been a “baby bandleader” for many years now, teaching early childhood music classes, so it’s a little ridiculous that it took me this long to write a song all about my favorite kind of band.
“Baby Band” was written for the summer session of my Listen & Learn for Little Ones class, and I used it during free play time. Unlike most of the other instrument-centered songs I sing with my kiddos, this one doesn’t have any specific directions for playing a certain way. It’s just an opportunity for the little ones to try out different instruments and make music however they want.
I did include some different sounds in the verses for older babies who are starting to verbalize and develop their speech. My own baby just turned 14 months old and is getting to the point where he can repeat most sounds and words, so the fact that he can participate is so much fun :)
Oh, and speaking of baby bands, registration for the fall session of Listen & Learn for Little Ones is now open! We’re offering both morning and evening class options this time around, so if you’re in the Springfield area, I hope you’ll be able to join us.
by Rachel | Listen & Learn Music
I’ve been on a bit of a summer songwriting hiatus this month, so it was nice to sit down and spend some time writing and recording over the weekend. My baby & toddler class starts next week, so I have a lot of work to do!
This particular song is actually one that I prepared for a music therapy student several months ago. We are working on singing, playing, and performing movement tasks TOGETHER (as opposed to taking turns), so I chose to adapt a familiar song that she could readily pick up and join in.
I’ve used this same song for lots of music therapy applications as well as in my early childhood classes. It’s great for playing a particular instrument, or multiple instruments, and of course, it’s easy to add or substitute other kinds of motions.
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by Rachel | Listen & Learn Music
This song wins the “triple threat” award — it manages to combine instrument play, movement, and gradual increase in tempo — with bonus points for being super simple and repetitive. One of those tunes I whipped up on the fly and yet is incredibly handy to have in my toolbox.
What I like most about this song is that you as the music therapist/teacher/facilitator can choose your own dance steps and rhythms depending on the child or group with whom you’re working. Or, you can let your kiddos choose their own (which is what I usually do!). There really is nothing more entertaining than watching a room full of preschoolers make up dance moves while playing rhythm sticks at the same time.
I didn’t include an instrumental version since the tempo increase would make it difficult to record over or sing along to. A lot of times, I sing this a capella anyway and use the rhythm created with our “dancing” and stick-playing as accompaniment. Sometimes I’ll even use a metronome to add a visual and extra audio component to the tempo change. Fun stuff!
by Rachel | Listen & Learn Music
This week as I was cleaning out my iTunes library (in an attempt to free up some space on my computer’s hard drive…I’m almost out!), I came across this little gem.
I wrote Who’s Jingling Now? right around this time last year as part of my early childhood music class curriculum, but for some reason I never got around to sharing it with you. Better late than never, I suppose.
A few of the objectives I had in mind when I wrote this song include: taking turns, individual play, listening skills, group cohesion, and both fine and gross motor skills. The song is meant to be used in a group setting, and provides each child in the group an opportunity to be the “featured” player.
I purposefully left out directions for playing a specific way (up high/down low, fast/slow, etc.) because I like to use this song as a lead-in to more structured instrument play. The expectations are not too high for a child who is just starting to get comfortable playing in a group and being singled out.
