Ten songs in no particular order to rock out with your kids! Check them out!
1. Head and Shoulders - Fox and Branch
Get you and and your family moving with this spin on the traditional Head and Shoulders song! This song tells you different actions to do instead of just touching you head and shoulders. “Throw the Ball”, “Milk the Cow”, “Flip the Pancake” and “ Walk the dog” are all fun movements that you and your family will laugh along with!
2. All Around the Kitchen - Dan Zanes
Another great movement song! Dance around with your family in the kitchen and all over the house. Dan Zanes again writes a fun and silly song that will get stuck in your head for days. But lets be honest, what kid song doesn’t get stuck in your head for days? This song is also a very easy song on the guitar and you can get by just playing an A minor chord.
Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKSnyS-vmkg
3. Fee Fi Fo Fun- Ralph’s World
It looks like we are starting off this list with many songs that instruct you to move your body. Here at JWY!, we have no problems with songs that make you dance! This song tells you to jump up and down, twist and shout and clap your hands! This song is guaranteed to get your feet moving and everyone singing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKSnyS-vmkg
4. What Kind of Cat Are You?! - Billy Jonas
I have to be honest, I always sing this song. Billy Jonas wrote this very clever song asking questions like, “What kind of cat has the first name of Tom? TOM CAT” and “What kinda cat is a candy? KIT KAT!” But look out the questions get harder in the thrid verse that really make you think, so “put on your thinking cap!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2apMXm7NwX0&feature=related Please excuse the barking dogs at the begging
5. Old Macdonald Had A Farm, Pt. 2 - Rufus Thomas
Old Macdonald is a classic kids song, everyone knows it and how could you make it rock you may ask? Well just talk to Rufus Thomas who gave this song a funky groove. This song is off the album Sing Along with Putamayo and one of the gems of the album. Rufus can really sing!
6. Hot Chocolate- Recess Monkey
I found this song recently. I love it. I have even snuck it in at family parties and no one thinks it’s kids song! Good job Recess Monkey! This is a fun song to groove to as you drive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BahfGazElIQ
7. Party In My Tummy - Yo Gabba Gabba
This song is from the popular kids show Yo Gabba Gabba. This song is just silly but it teaches children how to eat the correct foods. Maybe not rockin’, but it will make you want to move and sing along.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMUqM12W0i4 crazy yet amazing
8. Bananaphone- Rhonda Vincent
This is a song I teach with often. It’s a nice spin on Raffi’s original Bananaphone. Rhonda adds a great sounding banjo and fun vocals. I played this song at camp this summer and when a camper was describing it to another camper she said, “Don’t worry, this song is SO awesome”
9. Take Me Home, Country Roads- Toots & The Maytals
This is a great spin off of the John Denver original but with a Regge feel. Instead of “ to the place I belong West Virginia” its changed to “ to the place I belong West Jamaica”. This is another song that parents and kids will enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2VbRiBDcCk&feature=related
10. Be Part of the Band- The Verve Pipe
Do you remember The Verve Pipe from the 90’s? They sang The Freshman. Well now they have an album out called “A Family Album.” As a music teacher I feel like this should be any music students anthem. Don’t worry parents, most of the Jammin’ With You! teachers were or are in bands, and we turned out OK!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq9AKlTFhPg Kicks in at .54
Comment if you know of any other great rockin' kids songs! We would love to learn and sing some more!
Photo by: Crsan
Kids Music- Top 10 Cutest Songs Ever
Here are some of the cutest kids songs I have heard! In no particular order.
Bear to the Left - Billy Jonas
A very clever song about using animal names to give directions. It’s a very easy song to sing together and my students love it. This would be a great song to learn as a family and sing together all you need is a leader to remember the words. This song will surely be a family favorite to “Horse Around” with!
Billy Jonas: http://www.billyjonas.com/
All I Really Need - Raffi
Such a beautiful song about the basics that we need in our life, “song in my heart, food in my belly, and love in my family.” Sometimes we get caught up in what we “need”.“Mom, I need that new toy”, “I really need a vacation” , “I really need, a new car” but this song reminds us that we really need love, music and food to survive. I think this is a great song to sing together as a family.
Raffi Singing on Broadway! Who knew Raffi was on Broadway?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhoTY0D77xQ
Red Red Robin - Rosie Flores
Red Red Robin is an older song, but Roise Flores puts a country, rockabilly feel to it. It makes this song upbeat and fun! I love the mix of the guitar and her vocals. I found this song off of the album Sing Along With Putumayo. Rosie Flores is a fantastic artist and her new album “Girl of the Century” is worth a look!
Check Out Putumayo: http://www.putumayo.com/
Rosie Flores: http://www.rosieflores.com/index_2.html
Me Singing Red Red Robin: http://www.youtube.com/user/BethPacione#p/u/3/sz_b0KN9u2o
Be Kind To Your Parents - Pete Seeger
So the first line may not seem so cute to parents “Be kind to your parents, though they don’t deserve it...” but this song is very cute. This song helps children remember parents once were kids too! I had a student sing this at this years SuperJam and it went over very well with our audience. I really enjoy the last line, “Someday you may wake up and find your a parent too!”
Pete Seeger-http://www.last.fm/music/Pete+Seeger/_/Be+Kind+to+Your+Parents
Sunny Side of the Street - Fox and Branch
“Grab your coat and grab your hat, leave your worries on the doorstep now, direct your feet to the sunny side of the street” What a positive message this old classic song sings! Fox and Branch give it a fun groove using such instruments as the washboard, spoons and a kazoo. This song makes me smile everytime!
Smile Smile Smile - Dan Zanes
Speaking of smiling... “Every time I think of you I smile for a while, that’s the one thing you always do is smile smile smile” What a great message to any family member or friend. “Your big heart circles the world every time you smile!” This song fills your head of fun and crazy things we do together like singing broadway songs and passing the baton as we run. Another song that just makes my heart grow every time I hear it!
Smile, Smile,Smile: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9RXgP1nAk8 SO CUTE
Belly Button Song - Music For AArdvarks & Other Mammals
How fun is this guys voice as he is singing about Belly Buttons! Enough Said!
Music for Aardvarks: http://www.musicforaardvarks.com/
If You Wanna Sing Out, Sing Out- Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Originally written by Cat Stevens, this version is a bit more upbeat and still sings the positivity of the original. The vocals are clear and harmonize lovely together. This is the first track on their album Racky Tacky which also has alot of other great tunes!
I Will Be Your Friend- Guy Davis
Very cute friendship song! This song is all about taking care of one another and reminding each other of our love. What a great message for anyone at any age.
Make sure to send this to the friend that takes care of you.
Sunflower - Flooky & the Beans
Local Boston kids band Flooky & the Beans has many great songs, and their shows are great fun for all! This one is about beautiful Sunflowers. It is a very soothing song. The harmonies that the band really helps you enjoy the lyrics. “Add a little sunshine, grow so high, add a little rain, grow so high, add a little food, grow so high, add a little love, grow so high” Oh and that is Josh Shriber, our Director singing! Go Josh!
Flooky
Please post some of your cutest kids songs too! We would love to hear from you and learn some more great tunes!
Photos by: HLIT & epSOS.de
Summer has arrived! And this summer we would like to take a moment to interview our teachers and see what their summer fun includes! First up Rob Morrison!
Jammin' With You!: What do you teach at JWY!
Rob Morrison: Guitar, piano, theory + voice (plus life experience)
JWY!: What have you learned from teaching lessons to JWY! students?
RM: I have learned that there are many learning styles and personalities and therefore there must be alternative teaching methods to accomodate each student.
JWY!: What do you think is different about teaching in a studio vs. in-home music lessons?
RM: The student is generally more comfortable learning at home, but the teacher has to work harder to keep their attention.
JWY!: How have you influenced kids while teaching? AND How have they influenced you?
RM: I feel like I have broadened the horizons of my students by introducing them to improvisation and songwriting at early stages of their musical education. My students have taught me the untrained ear has a lot to offer musically and can produce fresh ideas without the impedence of too much conventional wisdom.
JWY!: What is your favorite summer tune to Jam out to?
RM: Here Comes The Sun by the Beatles
JWY!: What was the best summer concert you went to?
RM: This year, it was Jethro Tull at the Bank of America Pavillion.
JWY!: Is there anything exciting that you are doing over the summer?
RM: I'm taking little vacations to Martha's Vineyard, Vermont, the Cape and Montreal.
JWY!: Where is your favorite place to play music during the summer?
RM: Anywhere outside. Last year my band, Stroamata, played the outdoor festival Harpoon Summer Session, but this summer, you might find me busking (musician-speak for playing for tips in the street) in the public parks of downtown Boston before or after lessons. Barbeques, pool parties or roofdecks are just as good.
Practice makes perfect.
Practice if you were the worst and perform if you were the best!
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!
As SuperJams aproach we are all telling our students to practice their pieces. Some students are focusing all of their practice energy on making their performance piece absoulutly perfect.
But can you be practicing too much!? Could too much practice actually damage your playing?
If a student already has compleated his/her performance piece and everything is perfect, he/she should still practice, but maybe not everyday. When playing the piece there still needs to be an element of "freshness" in the student's sound, touch and feel of the song. 
So as your student practices keep these few tips in mind:
1. Before playing the whole piece, play the trouble spots
2. If the piece you are playing is perfect and you are ready to play at the recital, only practice every other day or take off few days of playing it. This helps to keep it fresh.
3. Sometimes instead of playing at your instrument, visualize the music or try to hum or sing the song in your head.
4. Try playing the piece in front of family and friends just like you would at the recital.
Use these few tips to help your student stay fresh and excited about their recital piece. Remember to keep on encouraging him/her and helping him/her feel excited and ready to play on the big day.
Photo by:Orangeacid
Photo: Maxwell GS
As spring concerts, recitals and shows start filling our calendars your child may start getting a case of the dreaded nerves. When I first started playing at recitals, I would be so nervous everything I learned from my piano lessons went out the window. I would seem to forget everything, including how to sit at the piano to how to play.But when I learned some easy ways to get rid of my nerves I started playing my best.
Here are 5 ways to help your child calm down and rock out at their performance!
Accept and redirect:
When we are nervous it normally shows that we care about what we are about to do. We don't want to mess up because we have worked hard and are ready to show the world our talent! Instead of thinking of nerves in a negative light, look at them in a positive light.
Remember:
*nerves mean you care
*nerves give you a little adrenaline that keeps you alert
*nerves are natural and you can get through them
Stretch:
When a person is nervous they tend to clench their jaw, wring their hands or move their legs quickly. Anxiety causes tension. Do a few simple stretches to relax and get the blood flowing.
*Shrug your shoulders toward your ears and rolling your head from side to side
*Bring one arm across your body and pull and do the same with the other side.
*Rotate your ankles and stretch your legs
* Shake your hands like you have just washed them and their isn't a towel around to dry them.
Silently Sing or Play:
Mentally review what piece you are playing or singing. You can even pretend you have the instrument in your hand and practice the motions. Doing this will allow your mind to relax and take focus to the task at hand.
Don't Go Bananas!:
Whenever you feel like you are going to get upset start to focus on your breathing and think happy thoughts. Say phrases to yourself like:
* It's OK to be upset, but I am in control
* I am great at what I do!
* I am going to conquer this
You can also think about a time where you did really well at something or a time when you where very relaxed. Close your eyes, take a breath and imagine you are there.
*Also, speaking of bananas, eat a banana, it helps lower anxiety.
SMILE:
Show off those teeth. Smiling helps relieve tension in our jaw and overall makes us feel happier. When we smile we are shrugging off the nerves and showing a confident exterior which will slowly come to the interior.
Remember "When your smiling, the whole world smiles with you."
So before your child starts to worry about how they will sound at their recital remind them that they are great, smile at them, rub their shoulders and hand them a banana! They are going to be wonderful this recital season and I am sure many people await to hear their talent!
Photo:Kaex0r
Many times a parent will ask us, how young is too young for music lessons? We normally will tell them to think about their individual child and their personality and ability. Once the parent has decided that their young child is ready to step into the music world here are a few things to think about when choosing a teacher for their lessons.
Your new lesson teacher should know the difficulties of teaching younger beginners.
*students have a shorter attention span
* students tend to be wiggly
*the students can’t read on their own
* they have not fully developed coordination
So how do we do we teach these students?
An effective young beginner music teacher should be able to make each lesson smooth and prevent some of the difficulties of teaching a young beginner. When talking to your childs new music teacher ask the teacher about how they will run the lesson with your small child. They should say or explain some of these points.
Make lessons have short different parts.
An effective teacher should not spend the entire lesson on one technique. Each music lesson should have different sections that run for about 5 minutes. Anymore time then the five minutes and the child will start to loose interest.
Let your child wiggle in a structured way.
The teacher will play songs that allow them to “shake their sillies out” during the lesson. These kind of songs will allow the child to wiggle and squirm as much as they want, and also be teaching them about rhythm and pitch.
Help students learn visually.
Find a book that provided the student with a lot of pictures to help them understand what they are learning. If your child can't read yet, there are different books that help teach the child with pictures and graphs.
Use music for little hands.
Make sure the songs you are teaching are for little hands. Even though your child and you have the same amount of fingers, their hands may not be able to move as fast as yours. The books your new teacher should be teaching from should have songs developed for little hands.
The best way to know if your child will be sucessful in their new music lesson is talking to your new teacher and making sure you, your child and the teacher are comfortable with the lessons. Good luck and welcome to the world of music!
It’s not easy to get your kids to practice. Frankly it’s hard to get adult musicians to practice! There are a million reasons not to practice. There’s not enough time, too many activities on your plate, its hard, you don’t “get it.” It’s human nature to shy away from the tough stuff and do what you know. I have many piano students who like to practice right hand but not the left. Guitar students who prefer open chords to the more difficult bar chords. “I’m not good at that” is not an excuse for not practicing. Conversely, is the very signal that you need to practice! Here are some easy ways parents can help their kids stay on track and get the most out of music lessons.
Make a chart that will live by your piano. An easy spread sheet or even a hand drawn graph with days and dates for you to check off (or stick on stickers) as you complete your practice sessions will be great. An empty chart will be an easy topic of conversation for teachers and parents alike. However a chart filled with checks, stars, and stickers will reveal consistency, effort and progress. Anyone can stick stickers on a page but if we are consistent and really earning those stickers or stars, the results will resonate throughout the house in the students great playing!
Use a timer to time your child’s sessions. Start with 15 minutes and extend it, as they get older and better at playing. Consistency is more important than the amount of time but if a student can sit down for at least 15 minutes at a time 5 days a week, the sessions will get easier because their playing will be getting better. Before you know it, a half hr practice session will be a piece of cake!
Make it a habit! Find a time that works for your family or your schedule and stick to it!! Some kids have 15+ min everyday before school to sit down with their instrument. Other families find time while mom or dad is making dinner. Before dinner was always my practice time growing up. My mom would be in the kitchen, 1 or 2 rooms away listening and encouraging me to keep going.
Have fun with your instrument!!! Nobody should be taking piano lessons or saxophone lessons or any music lessons if playing music is torture. Encourage your kids to go play their favorite songs 1st and then work on something new. Then at the end, play another old favorite. Other fun ideas for practice include making up a song, experiment, sound out the melody of a song you just heard on the radio, learn a duet with your bro, sis, mom or dad, pretend you’re in a band, form a real band!
Stay positive! Parents have to encourage their kids and stay positive the whole time. Even if it doesn’t sound amazing, make kids feel like they accomplished something with each practice session. If parents lag and let it go, kids will too. Parents cannot let kids see practice as something we can skip because we’re tired, hungry, busy ect. Once you start making excuses, your kids will latch on and look for those same excuses everyday.
There are many studies on how effective constant parent involvement in a child’s school education helps them grow in many ways. There is even a national organization on it called the National Coalition for Parent Involvement In Education.
The NCPIE says:
http://www.ncpie.org/
The evidence is in: when schools and families work together to support learning, everyone benefits.
*Students do better in school and in life.
*Parents become empowered.
*Teacher morale improves.
*Schools get better.
*Communities grow stronger.
All of these things are true for your child’s music lessons too. Even if a parent is not musically inclined, simple support can go a long way for your child, you and your child’s private music teacher.
Here are a few simple ways to support your child in their music endeavors even if you don’t know how to play music.
Ask your child what they learned in their lesson:
Asking your child about their lesson helps them remember the new information and they have to explain what they learned in their 30 min. keyboard lesson.
There are many ways a parent can ask about the lesson:
*Have the child explain what they learned away from the instrument to help them with their verbal skills
*Have the child explain what they learned with the instrument to help them explain visually
*A parent can act as the student and have their child help them learn something on the instrument.
*Ask your child to play them their favorite new song and tell them what you liked about it.
Tell your child you love hearing them practice:
The more they practice the better they get, right?
But sometimes when they practice they make mistakes and get embarrassed. By telling them, things like “wow you sounded great and you are getting better” encourages them to do more practice. Comments like these also tell your child that you are listening and you are taking an interest in what they are doing.
Don’t use the word CAN’T :
I always tell my student’s that the CAN’T word is off limits in playing music. If your student says “I can’t read music” or “I can’t play the guitar” make sure to tell them they can.
The word CAN’T takes the action of doing to a whole different level. Now your child thinks they can’t do something and will stop trying, consciously or unconsciously. If the parent doesn’t correct the child by saying, yes you can, then the child will believe that you think they can’t do it either.
Everyone is different, everyone learns differently and everyone plays different.
Remind your child that they can do whatever they want to do. If they are struggling with something let your music teacher know and then work as a team to help your child succeed.
Share your music idols:
Children today listen to many different things like High School Musical, The Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana and many more. But if you share your favorite bands with your child it is not only teaching them about different types of music but also about your excitement with music.
I will never forget the day when my dad got out his Beatles records and we listened to them all night. It really inspired me as a musician and I got very close to my dad through music.
Music can help create a bond between you and your child. Maybe after you show your child your favorite band you can ask them to show you theirs.
Get out and see live music:
There is nothing more inspirational for a musician then watching other musicians play. Take your child to see all types of music shows.
*Rock Shows
*Folk Shows
*Musical Theater
*Kids Music Shows
*Local Music
*Opera
*Symphonies
*Battles of Bands
*Festivals
There are many kid friendly festivals in the summer and so many great music venues that you can find something that sparks you and your child’s interest.
Boston venues:
Cambridge - Club Passim
Lennox- Tanglewood
Cambridge-Middle East
Boston Orpeum Theater
By taking these simple steps to help support your child and their musical ambition you will see such improvement in how they play, think and talk about music.
"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."Victor Hugo (1802-1885)
Photos by: Ha-Wee, Lance Shields & Fabio Bruna
Colds are in the air and allergies are just around the corner. What do you do to keep your voice healthy and how do you sound your best?
No matter how young you are or how long you have been taking vocal lessons a person should know how to care for their voice. Here are 5 simple ways to care for your voice.
1. Stay hydrated!
Every vocalist should always carry a bottle of water. An voice teacher of mine use to say “drink so much water that you pee clear!” It may sound gross but the more hydrated you are the better you will sound and the less damage you will do to your voice. Try to stay clear of too much caffeine and high sugar drinks.
2. Remember your warm ups
Just like getting ready to play sports or work out, your voice needs a proper warm up before you start to sing. Use a piano or guitar and sing up and down a scale, buzz your lips, hum a tune or do some breathing exercises. Your breath is so important in singing properly. So remember to practice breathing deep and using your entire midsection to support you.
3. Don't Shout!
Try to limit speaking in noisy places, or shouting at events. We all get excited sometimes, but every time you yell till you are hoarse you are damaging your voice.
4. Watch What You Eat
Before you sing a show, avoid foods and drinks that make your vocal cords produce mucous.
*nuts
*dairy products
*sugar
The best way to get rid of the mucous is to drink lots of water and warm up your voice.
5. Heal Your Sick Voice
When you are sick you should rest your voice as much as you can. You do not want to strain it or push to hard. If your voice is sore, besides drinking water try some of these tricks.
*Sleep with a humidifier *Drink herbal teas *Try to keep your voice and throat warm with scarves and turtle necks *Breath in steam
Unlike other instruments that get put away in a protective case, your instrument is your body and everything you do effects it. Remember these tips and sing your best.
Share your song with the world!
photo by Steve Punter
How To Choose a Piano Teacher
If you go on Craigslist and search for piano teachers, you will find hundreds of teachers and music schools currently accepting students. Every ad will look basically the same but as we know, not all teachers are the same. How do you find the right piano teacher for your child or yourself??
What is the teacher’s background?
How long have they been teaching? Do they currently have students? You don’t want to be a guinea pig for a new teacher. You want to make sure they have taught students like you before. Ask for references! Any quality teacher will be happy you want to call one of their current students because they know their students will speak highly of them. A good teacher doesn’t need to come from a conservatory of music. But you do want to make sure they are trained on their instrument and know what they are talking about!
What style/method does the teacher use?
Many teachers can teach any style while others are strictly classical or jazz ect. Why do you want to take lessons? If you just want to learn some fun tunes and make a hobby out of it, you don’t want someone who is going to insist you work out of 3 different theory books and technique books and give you stringent practice guidelines. If you’d like your son to be the next Beethoven, then that’s a different story. If you want to learn Jazz, there are teachers out there who will do just that. For parents who want their kids to have a positive 1st experience, find someone fun and enthusiastic who will keep them motivated and inspired.
Where do lessons take place?
If you are signing up for lessons at a music studio, is it a friendly, clean, safe environment? Go check it out. Will you be happy walking in each week? Many studios and companies offer In-Home music lessons. Taking lessons in your own home is ideal for most kids. Mom doesn’t have to drive and kids are in their comfort zone. Again, if a lesson service or school is going to send an instructor into your home, make sure you talk to some of his/her current students and families. Make sure this is someone you want to open your doors for each week.
Does the teacher offer recitals?
Recitals should be part of any music program. It gives students goals a real reason to practice. Performing in front of your peers can be stressful and scary but the rewards far outweigh the stress leading up to the performance. No matter what level students are playing at, completing a recital will be a huge accomplishment and can be very inspirational as you see what others are capable of.