Nuts About Birthdays Game
How to Play:
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Print this Nuts About Birthdays Improv Pack (double-sided).
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Have your piano students practice saying and clapping the Nuts About Birthdays phrases on the back of the improv cards. These phrases provide the rhythm your students will be using when they participate in the improv duet. Note: If you have creative kiddos who want more freedom, we have included two blank cards that can be used to create their own phrases/rhythms.
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Have your students choose their two favorite Nuts About Birthdays improv cards.
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With their hand in C position, have your students experiment with various combinations of notes (using only C, D, E, F and G) to match the rhythms on the cards selected in Step 3. Encourage them to continue their explorations until they decide on a preferred melody for each card.
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Begin playing your teacher accompaniment. When your students feel ready to hop in, have them begin repeatedly playing one of the melodies they created in Step 4. Encourage your students to add in the second melody from Step 4 when they feel comfortable. Instruct your students to switch back and forth between their two melodies.
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Once your students are jamming away without a care, have them expand on their improv skills by experimenting with more card combinations, extra notes, improv “on the fly”, harmonic intervals or chords, and articulation changes. The sky’s the limit… be creative!