I am a Fine Musician
I cannot believe that the 2016-2017 school year is here! I've been back to work since August 1, prepping to get back into the schools with my sweet kiddos! I decided to share with you today one of my favorite instrument songs that is easily adaptable for all of your kids! I found this sheet music on Beth's Music Notes, but there is also a version in the Prelude Learning Through Music: Volume 4. This song can address goals such as: articulation, identifying objects, taking turns, participation, and purposeful manipulation of objects.
First, I allow each student in the group to choose an instrument from my selection for the day. I like to provide a variety of instruments, with the goal that no two students share an identical instrument. I bring several sizes of frame drums, a couple types of shakers, a tambourine, a small xylophone, a cabasa, a mini keyboard, a thunder tube, etc. I like to choose a random characteristic or method to choose who goes first such as birthday months, types of shoes, or alphabetical order! This breaks it up from the normal clockwise/counterclockwise order that I will greet each student during the hello song. As the student comes up to choose an instrument, I reinforce that they know the name of the instrument if they aren't able to tell me.
I ask the students to play their instrument along with me as I sing the first verse once or twice (accompanied by my trusty ukulele). For the subsequent verses, I invite one student at a time to come stand by me with their instrument, and suddenly, they are the Fine Musician Soloist! I change the words to fit in the student's name and the instrument they are playing, and we can also imitate the sound of the instrument or just sing "da-da-da." I typically sing the "da-da-da" part along the melody of Verse 1 (Trumpet). Depending on the student, I may leave out the name of the instrument in the song for the student to fill in the blank. The other students will quietly play their instruments while the soloist gets to play as loud as he wants! After the solo, we have the entire group applaud the soloist. This builds a great sense of confidence in the students, and the kids love clapping for each other!
Adapted Lyrics - I am a Fine Musician
I am a fine musician, I practice every day, And people come from miles around, Just to hear me play. My music, my music, They love to hear my music. Da-dada-da-da, da-dada-da-da, da-da, da-da, da-a-a!
Suzy is a fine musician, She practices every day, And people come from miles around, Just to hear her play. Her tambourine, her tambourine, They love to hear her tambourine. Sh-shsh-sh-sh, sh-shsh-sh-sh, sh-sh, sh-sh, sh-h-h!
5 Ways to Adapt this Song:
For advanced groups, you could attempt to perform this in a round, or have two parts singing different melodies on the "da-da-da" part.
Use this song while doing a lesson on orchestral instruments, (using pictures instead of the real instruments if unavailable), and teach the kids what these instruments sound like (similar to the original song.)
Add in a few verses about tempo and dynamics!
Have a class discussion about what other hobbies or skills the students may practice every day, and create verses about what is discussed! (Reading, soccer, social skills, etc)
Facilitate hand-over-hand interaction with instruments for lower-functioning or motor impaired students.
Thanks so much for reading! I hope this can become one of your favorite instrument songs as you encourage your kids to become fine musicians.
"Sing"cerely,
Sarah