33 2.

The Keyboard Express™© John F Keller, 2009

A beginner piano methodwith pre-staff ‘kids notes’

and keyboard guides

by John Keller

“Exp

ress

Sta

ve”

intr

oduc

essp

ecia

l not

es fo

r bla

ck k

eys:

33

2Th

ete

ache

r can

slid

ea

coin

over

the

lines

to h

elp

stud

ent

lear

n to

pla

y th

ese

blac

k ke

ys.

Usi

ng th

ese

“Exp

ress

Sta

ve”

note

s for

the

blac

k ke

ys h

elps

th

e st

uden

t lea

rn k

eybo

ard

geog

raph

y, p

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line

s and

sp

aces

, ste

ppin

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ippi

ng.

T

Kids

’ Not

es

Monkey Bars

We’re play - ing on these mon - key bars, mon - key bars, mon - key bars.

3

3

Play - ing on these mon - key bars, Hav - ing fun to - ge - ther.

Boogie Woogie

Boogie Woogie under link, Next to link or moved away.

1

12

2

Boogie Woogie over link, Play this Boogie every day.

12

21

33

1 22 1

3 3

LINK LINK

ird s

ide

rog

side2

21

1

Teach by ‘rote’.

low

hand

high

ha

nd

Cling Tight

Play these extras, then cling tight. Change to natural keys of white.

When there’s no rest, don’t let go. Fingers neat and in a row.

4

4

1

1

3 “extras” (big notes)

4 naturals (small notes)

Teac

h by

‘ro

te’.

Inside Threes, Outside Threes

Inside threes find first key A. Outside threes it’s B we play.

Inside threes find last key G. Where do you think F would be?

irdro

g

Bird Clef

FG

Frog Clef

AB

low hand

high hand

3 3

insi

de

outs

ide

Three Alphabets

Basic Alphabet Centre Alphabet Top AlphabetLI

NK

LIN

K

LIN

K

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, Link ...

Play upwards all the way with your left hand.

Then play downwards all the way with your right hand.

Start with 4 on Link.

341

1

4

4

4

4

4

Double naturals inside threes, Find all double natural keys.

Double Naturals ( )

Find all of the double natural keys

on this low side.

Find all of the double natural keys

on this high side.

LINK LINK

n

double naturals double naturals

One on each side of this link, Closer to this line we think.

2

2

2

23

3

low

hand

3

high

hand2

Baby Twins

Baby twins, in their bed, One fell out and bumped his head.

This is what the other said, Glad that wasn’t me instead!

Play this

side first

2 323

23

23

44

11

3

2

Drink Time

Doubles, twos and link lines, Bottom, middle, bottom, top.

Take a break at drink time. Head off to the bottle shop!

high

hand

32

ird

rog

botto

m

mid

dle

to

p

Rep

eat

lowhand

3 2

two

doubles doubles

Feel Their Way

And they sing with middle sound, Voices going up and down.

low

hand

3

high

ha

nd3Here’s a game that children play. With eyes closed they feel their way.

Repeat

1

1

Find

the

keys

by

feel

.

cent

re

centre

Draw some small and big notes (like small and capital letters, o O).

Double keys go down to single, In between there is this pair.Bottom keys go up to middle, And this other pair is there.

Double Keys Go Down

high

hand

low

hand

doubles doublessingle

pair pair

55

Play just one, From this pair, This note here or this note there.

With your thumb, One key choose, One from each pair touches twos.

1

1

low hand

3

3

Play Just One

1

high hand

3

pair pair

Roly-Poly Rover

Roly -poly Rover, High hand rolling over,

2

3

hold on

2

Roly -poly Rover, Low roll over too.

1

1

2

hold on2 1

13

1

1 2

2

Five Baby Bear Cubs

irds

rogs

high

ha

nd

3low

ha

nd

4

Five baby bear cubs playing in the snow. Two in the middle and three below.

Five baby bear cubs swaying to and fro. Five little polar bears in a row.

The Chimes

From the old tower. I hear them now,Loud ring the bells,

Chiming the hour. Dong, dong, dong.

low hand

3

high hand

4

Use the sustaining

pedal

Three Kids on Bikes

Three kids on bikes. Who is fast - est? I am fast - est! Let’s all have a bike race!

bottom centre top

botto

m

cen

tre

to

p

play

ea-sy

Play copy cats:

Point to Notes

Right hand plays. Left hand holds. That is what the teach - er said.

Point to notes, count - ing beats. Left hand lets you see a - head.

Rep

eat

high

hand

2

2

lowha

nd

1. Play high hand

2. Play low hand

3. Play both hands together.

4. Point and count.

Now I think this frog wants to have their turn.

Trampoline

cent

re

On this tram - po - line, there’s one bird jump - ing.

irds

rogs

4

4

high

ha

nd

low

hand

4

4

rest

rest

People watching on, stand still, no bumping.They all think its fun so they’d like to learn.

Three Different Alphabets

Play three different alphabets. Frogs and birds and kids with pets. Birds above, Frogs below,

Centre where those children go.

Inside Any AlphabetInside any alphabet, Know where seven letters go.

L L L L

Which three letters at the top? Which three letters down below?

Three Line Guides

Three line guide, On high side, Where these birds Swoop and glide.

Three line stave, Just for frogs, Where they hop Over logs.

“Bird“ clef

“Frog“ clef

high hand

irdsrogs

low hand

irdsrogs

3 Three-Line Guides

L L L L

Three - line guide, On low side.

This guide here, Comes in third. High and clear, Like a bird.

Centre guide,

Where kids hide.

Three AlphabetsIn the centre, that is where,

children play without a care.

In this basic alphabet, Seven letters neatly fit.

Treble multiplies by three. These notes higher up will be.

5

2

5

4 1

L L L L

5

Treble Alphabet

Centre Alphabet

Bass Alphabet

A

G

24

First Time, Second Time

irds

rogs

high

ha

nd

2low

ha

nd

3

First time, Second time, Two different endings. First time bar to repeat again.

Big notes, Little notes, Two different size notes. Second bar to com - plete: - The End.

1st time: 2nd time:

left holds

4

3

5

22

right rests

2

4

1

5

1

Slow and graceful pelicans fly.

Smoothly gliding peacefully by.

Pelicans

left rests

right holds

centre alphabet irds alphabetrogs alphabet

Express Staves