PROGRAM |A STUDLNT WORK8OOK

keys to the organ

A Series of Music Education Courses of Group Study
8aslc Muslc Skllls tor Cblloren 8aslc Muslc Skllls tor Aoults
From Keyboard to Keyboard
Ensemble Skills
Basic Music Skills
Dr. Ina Slater Grapenthin
frog music press
basic music skills keys to the organ
www.keystotheorgan.com
Home of Basic Skills
vlslt our slte tor lntormatlon about locatlng certleo teacbers,
locatlons, ano aooltlonal stuoent materlals.
Dr. Ina Slater Grapenthin
Roland & Rodgers Instruments Corporation
encourage the study of organ
through the development of
organs designed for teaching and performance.
Materials published by
www.frogmusic.com
Noel [ones, AAGO Creatlve Dlrector
2011 Dr. Ina Slater Grapenthin
All Rights Reserved
basic music skills keys to the organ
Why Study Music?
Too many times parents and students feel that the only goal of studying music is
being able to play or sing a piece of music, with no mistakes, the equivalent in some
minds to pitching a no-hitter baseball game.
But there is much more depth to music study for children, youth and adults than
just playing the right notes.
What are ways a program can enhance learning in terms of other subjects?

CAN MUSIC HELP MY CHILD READ?

Here are the ways:
Listening Skills
Attentlve llstenlng,
|ncreaseo attentlon span,
|ncreaseo concentratlon
Auditory Discrimination
8eat 8aslc woros ano sentences
Rbytbm rbytbm ot woros
Pltcb volce lnNectlons, eclamatlons, questlons ano pltcb oltterences
Stress accents ln woros ano sentences
Visual Discrimination
Reaolng trom lett to rlgbt
Recognltlon ot oltterences ln wrltten symbols.
MUSIC IS LIKE MATH
Rhythm notation is divided into whole, half, quarter and other parts of the whole,
all of which makes the study of music quite relative to the study of mathematics,
especially fractions. The Ancient Greeks considered Music and Math to be one and
the same, all one subject.
WE LEARN ABOUT OUR HERITAGE FROM MUSIC.
Tbe blstory ot muslc ls tbe blstory ot manklno. Lvery slgnlcant event ln buman
life has been accompanied by music. From the ancient to the most contemporary
culture music is central to every ritual.
MUSIC FOSTERS IMAGINATION, CREATIVITY AND DEVELOPS SOCIAL SKILLS
Music fosters imagination which is a strong driving force in education. The study
of music, especially in a group, provides an opportunity for the development of
mutual respect, cooperative and democratic behavior, and builds new friendships.
PSYCHOMOTOR SKILLS
Music facilitates the audio-tactile development of young ears and eyes, thereby
strengthening the whole motor coordination.
AESTHETIC EXPRESSION
Muslc ls not bouno, llke woros, to a speclc meanlng. Tbrougb muslc eacb person
can no bls own personal epresslon ano lnterpretatlon. Dltterent levels ot aes-
tbetlc response may occur, oepenolng on tbe eperlence ano unoerstanolng ot tbe
musical event. To know music for its artistic merits is yet another way to know
the world.
Why learn basic music skills at the organ?
A stuoent learns best wben tbe teacber rst lays tbe tounoatlon ano tben bullos
the house, step by step.
Analyze all of the steps that are necessary to play the piano.
Students must:
1. Translate the symbols from the page. (Read notes and other markings).
2. Learn the varying shades of touch, or strike intensity which results in tone
production which dies away after playing.
3. Listen attentively.
4. Use trial and error to produce the tone with the proper intensity.
5. Tbe braln ano tbe ear must work togetber, wblcb controls tbe ngers, wblcb
control the keyboard.
Slnce we are teacblng tbe braln tbe ears ano tbe lntenslty ot tbe nger actlon, all
at once, consider learning basic keyboard skills on an instrument that does not
challenge the physical abilities of young students and senior citizens.
Success begats success!
If students play an organ keyboard where these requirements are not necessary
he/she is able to make an acceptable sound immediately, motivating the student to
acbleve tbe net step. Tbls tbeory was proven ln tbe 1950's wben tbe bome organ
was popular, due to their affordability. Many church organists resulted from this
program even though the material was mostly popular.
Atter tbe stuoent bas mastereo baslc skllls (reaolng, nger lnoepenoence, coorol-
nation) the student is able to transfer the information to the piano, or any other
instrument for that matter. Today, with the creation of a simple one manual key-
board interest in the organ has been revived. Home keyboards are restricted to
playing only two sounds. The organ keyboard has a vast variety of sounds and an
assortment of orchestral timbres.
Consider having piano students study the organ where basic rudiments, such as
the harmonic overtone series necessary for advanced pedaling, is much easier to
understand from the organists view.
Dr. Ina Grapenthin has created an enjoyable basic music skills course using the
organ keyboard. The sequential material has been created for ensembles, similar
to an orchestra, and presented for group instruction.
basic music skills keys to the organ
2

Llsten, learn ano slng tbe answers.
Wrlte LLFT on tbe lett bano.
Wrlte R|GHT on tbe rlgbt bano.
Lett & Rlgbt
Wbere's your rlgbt bano?
Heres my right hand.
Wbere's your lett?
Heres my left.
Uptown ls my rlgbt bano,
Downtown is my left hand.

Heres the test
Wblcb one's best?

basic music skills keys to the organ
3
LH & RH
Wrlte: LH on tbe Lett Hanos.
RH on the Right Hands.





basic music skills keys to the organ
4
Lett ano Rlgbt

Swlmmlng oucks ano sb.
Color only the ones that face to the right.
Alan Dasb, Artlst
basic music skills keys to the organ
5
Keyboaro Hano Posltlon
Faulty Hand Positions

Notlce tbe correct posltlon ot tbe tbumb ano ngers.
Published in 1911.
Position of thumb, perfectly curved.
basic music skills keys to the organ
6
basic skills keys to the organ
7
Learn Proper Sitting Position.
For proper seating position you should:
1. Sit in middle of the keyboard.
2. Sit on the front of the bench.
3. Sit straight.
See the girl in the painting?
S|e |s s|tt|o .|t| |e bac' sta||t - oo s|oo|o.
Place your hands and forearms in a straight line above
the keys.
If your hands and forearms are not in a straight line
check the height of your bench. This problem
can happen if the bench is too low..
ave oo eet o|aoteo oo t|e oo. | oo cao s.|o
your knees from side to side and your feet cannot
tooc| t|e oo, ose a sa|| ootstoo| o soooot oo-
der your feet.
Position when seated
Proper Posltlon at tbe Keyboaro
How To Sit At A Keyboard.
1. Sit in middle of the keyboard.
2. Sit on the front of the bench.
3. Sit straight.
4. Place your banos ano torearms ln a stralgbt llne above tbe keys.
b a s i c s k i l l s k e y s t o t h e o r g a n
7
L e a r n P r o p e r S i t t i n g P o s i t i o n .
F o r p r o p e r s e a t i n g p o s i t i o n y o u s h o u l d :
1 . S i t i n m i d d l e o f t h e k e y b o a r d .
2 . S i t o n t h e f r o n t o f t h e b e n c h .
3 . S i t s t r a i g h t .
S e e t h e g i r l i n t h e p a i n t i n g ?
S | e | s s | t t | o . | t | | e b a c ' s t a | | t - o o s | o o | o .
P l a c e y o u r h a n d s a n d f o r e a r m s i n a s t r a i g h t l i n e a b o v e
t h e k e y s .
I f y o u r h a n d s a n d f o r e a r m s a r e n o t i n a s t r a i g h t l i n e
c h e c k t h e h e i g h t o f y o u r b e n c h . T h i s p r o b l e m
c a n h a p p e n i f t h e b e n c h i s t o o l o w . .
a v e o o e e t o | a o t e o o o t | e o o . | o o c a o s . | o
y o u r k n e e s f r o m s i d e t o s i d e a n d y o u r f e e t c a n n o t
t o o c | t | e o o , o s e a s a | | o o t s t o o | o s o o o o t o o -
d e r y o u r f e e t .
P o s i t i o n w h e n s e a t e d
basic music skills keys to the organ
7 Black Note Groupings
Recognizing key groups.
1. Look at tbe black notes ot tbe keyboaro.
2. Notice that they fall into groups of twos and threes.

Do you see the groups of two and three on this keyboard?
How many groups of two black notes do you see on this keyboard? ______ Groups of three black notes? ______
How many groups of two black notes do you see on your keyboard? ______ Groups of three black notes? ______