The Cup Song from Pitch Perfect and GLOW CUPS!

Hi Y'all!

This summer I taught the Cup Song from Pitch Perfect. It's a little on the hard side to learn. I had to practice a lot before I could teach it but it made me the coolest teacher ever.  I googled a "how to video" and learned it in a couple of minutes.  But then you have to practice doing it at tempo.  WOW! Then you have to practice doing it at tempo while singing it without getting lost and confused.  I'll wait here while you unscramble your brain. 

For this class- we learned it and practiced in about 2 weeks.  Then we rehearsed for a week.  This video shoot was so much fun!

For the 2 weeks in the learning process I used Solo cups from the Dollar store.  For the actual shoot I purchased 10 oz opaque cups from the local restaurent supply store for $1.19 each.  I only needed 20.  Then I hit up Target.  Because TARGET!  They had those glow stick bracelets in the $1-$3 bins in the front of the store.  I got 3 packages of 15 each.  I got more than I needed because sometimes those glow sticks don't glow very well and I wanted some back ups. 

We spent about 5-8 minutes taping the glow sticks to the very bottom of the cup and then to the rim of the cup with clear packing tape.

Here's something I was not happy with.  I really wanted the cups to GLOW.  The first time I did this (a couple years ago) I used CLEAR solo cups.  Clear Solo cups and (as you can see in the video) the plastic Cups we used clearly show the glow sticks.  If you can find large opaque Solo cups, use those!  They give the best glow!  I could not find them to SAVE MY LIFE!  I checked in every store in a 20 miles radius!  Before you get all busy thinking "Ok, well I'll just break the glow stick open and spread the glowy stuff around the cup".  Yes, you can try that however....... those glow sticks have GLASS inside them.  And those little shards are WICKED.  Also the chemicals used to create that lovely GLOW? They MELT PLASTIC!  I know this because we tried to make glow bubbles and that's when we discovered these little lovely tidbits.  Don't trust Pinterest!

I told the kids the week before the shoot to come to class in BLACK shirts.  If they had a design on them I had them wear the shirt backwards.   We sat in a circle on the floor.  It's important to gauge the distance between people correctly.  It should be exactly your passing arm length.  If, when you pass the cup to your neighbor, you miss by being too short for them to reach it- that TOTALLY THROWS OFF THE RHYTHM!

We practiced once and then a teacher stood on a chair to record using my ipad.  That's how we got that lovely overhead shot!  YAY Ms. Brittany!

Anyway, I hope this helps you all!  I really hope you do it with your kiddos because it was SUPER FUN!   If you don't want your students singing about 2 bottles of whiskey, you can always check out Wendy Steven's books: Rhythm Cup Explorations. http://www.composecreate.com/store/rhythm-cup-explorations/ This great series guides you step by step with super easy but graduated exercises. 

Happy TEACHING!

Ms. Becki

Pianist Built by JoyTunes

Pianist Built by JoyTunes

I'm a piano teacher.  It was an accident.  I was an award winning musician but I never wanted to be a teacher.  Fortunately, it's in my genes because my Dad was a great teacher. So is my Mom.

I've been teaching for gazillions of years now and teaching techniques change as we learn more about how people learn.  This is a great thing because it makes learning easier and more efficient.  I'm all about EFFICIENT!

I have 2 kids, 6 years apart.  My son started piano lessons at 3. My daughter at 4.  My son does not like piano, although he loves his teacher, and I wondered why.  My daughter LOVES piano.  What's the difference?

Sure, temperment and personality have a lot to do with this dichotomy but more is the addition of technology.  Not gonna lie, I am a piano teacher and like my friend Donna says:  "The shoemakers children have no shoes"; my poor kids are hard pressed to find an available piano and time to practice.

When Max was little and learning to play, we used computer programs and cd roms.  They were effective but they were limited to the time the computer was available and so it was mostly done in his lesson.  END OF STORY.  Millie has an ipad. iPads are a family staple.  She's had one since she was 3.  She's also had the advantage of JoyTunes' app, Piano Maestro.   She plays piano every day because she can and she enjoys it. When she can't she can use her iPad to practice.  She gets reinforcement from Piano Maestro and what a tremendous difference this has made in her musicianship.

Millie has skills that I worked YEARS to acquire.  I was watching her learn a new song this week and this was her process:
1. Try to sightread the piece.  She failed to get 3 stars.
2. She decides to do the Learn mode.  Learn mode is a tool students can use to break the piece down section by section.  At the end of the steps, they put the whole song together and play it with a backing track.
3. She learns it through learning mode.
4. She begins to play it at full tempo and gets 3 stars.  YAY MILLIE!
5.  That's not good enough, she says.  She continues to work her way through it until she misses no notes and her timing score is 100 %.

(WHAT? She is 7!  Stats don't matter to a 7 year old!  But they do when it's a game!  This is the genius of Piano Maestro!)

6.  SHE KEEPS PLAYING because she loves getting that PERFECT score!

As I watched her play, I noticed something else.  When she was playing if she missed a key, she kept going and her eyes found the next down beat and she was fine.  She didn't panic that she missed a key, she just kept going.  If you've ever played with an ensemble then you know (and have probably just experienced it) the heart stopping moment where you blink a bunch and try to find your spot to get back in the song.  It takes years to master your emotions so you can even do this.  She's got it down.  I was very impressed!

This is a significant and completely awesome new way to learn! Adding Piano Maestro to a piano lesson adds  a whole new level of efficacy.  As I teacher, I'm all for it! As a MOM, I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

I hope everyone who has a piano student uses this app.  I hope you if you don't play piano, you get this app and learn.  The process that I've just described?  It's LIFE SKILLS!

Go Play!

Getting Started!

Ok! So this is it.  Who knew I've had a blog address since 2011!  2011!  Good grief!

 I am entering this new world because I have been encouraged by other to try it out.  I am a geeky teacher.  Most of these postings will be about tech but I may throw in some music too.  You might even get a family story or 2.  Here's hoping I don't mess it up too badly.  Another interface to learn, more mistakes to be made and a ton of editing to do.  It's ok. I've got time.  Stay tuned!