I picked up the Kindle version of this book first. Later I ordered the paper version so I would have the book online or without electronic aid. I had a soprano recorder I was learning to play and decided to try the alto, too. I love how the book showed the fingering for both recorders and even combined to make duets that both recorders would play a part.
Every couple of pages, the book gives a new note or two. I am happy to say that I have played all the songs in the book, the soprano melody, and the alto melody. I am glad they were, for the most part, easily recognizable folk songs. That meant that this first go-round, I could concentrate on the fingering, which is far different from the piano that I’ve played all my life.
After a music hiatus, this book was the perfect way to get back in and enjoy music.
Though I have played the melodies, I plan to use this book the following way. I have an app or two that will help me. One will play the metronome, and then I will record each part of the duets presented. It seems like a fun way to get even more acquainted with the fingering I have mastered. I know I still need work on breath and tempo.
After this book, I have many more beginning recorder books to play with. Each has different approaches and ways to perfect what I know to get to the next level.
I thought I had it made! I saw Golly Gee and Animal Crackers came to mind. Ah, alas, I was wrong, as the lyrics point out below. She says, Gosh, oh Gee. Well. Too bad. Shirley needed the nod. I bet if I did a deep search, we could find when she actually said, Golly Gee!
I think I’ve talked about how I was/am a Shirley Temple fan. In sixth grade, (60 years ago!) I was the leader of my class’s Shirley Temple Fan Club, membership ONE, ME. I would sing the songs for my classmates. Where did I get the courage? Well, the year before, my friends and I did The Wizard of Oz, so…
In sixth grade, I was 12. My mother told me she was Shirley Temple’s actual age. Ms. Temple was already an ambassador. Well, here’s her wiki.
My piano teacher did everything she could to keep me interested in playing the piano, so she found this book for me, yes, I still have it, and it is in the same shape as I am these days.
The only centerfold I’ve ever loved!See the Lassie sticker? There is a sticker on every song in this book. That meant I could play them near perfection. Ah, but now, it is sadly hard to play. Maybe after cataract surgery? I can only hope!
Lyrics
Animal crackers in my soup Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop Gosh, oh gee,but I have fun Swallowing animals one by one
In every bowl of soup, I see Lions and Tigers watching me I make ’em jump right through a hoop Those animal crackers in my soup
When I get hold of the big bad wolf I just push him under to drown Then I bite him in a million bits And I gobble him right down
When they’re inside me where it’s dark I walk around like Noahs Ark I stuff my tummy like a goop With animal crackers in my soup
Animal crackers in my soup Do funny things to me They make me think my neighborhood Is a big menagerie
For instance, there’s our Janitor His name is Mr. Klein And when he Hollers at us kids He reminds me of a Lion
The Grocer is so big and fat He has a big mustache He looks just like a Walrus Just before he takes a splash
Animal crackers in my soup Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop Gosh, oh gee, but I have fun Swallowing animals one by one
In every bowl of soup, I see Lions and Tigers watching me I make ’em jump right through a hoop Those animal crackers in my soup
When I get hold of the big bad wolf I just push him under to drown Then I bite him in a million bits And I gobble him right down
When they’re inside me where it’s dark I walk around like Noahs Arc I stuff my tummy like a goop With animal crackers in my soup
When they’re inside me where it’s dark I walk around like Noahs Arc I stuff my tummy like a goop With animal crackers in my soup
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “golly gee.” Use “golly gee” or another interjection that displays the same sentiment in your post. Enjoy!,,
Black and white has been the constant of my life. It was the nightmares, yet the bright dreams, too. When earliest memories are of sitting in front of the keys and perfection demanded, black and white. No shades of gray.
Suddenly black and white was a super power. I dreamed my house was piano keys. That I had a swimming pool in my black and white kitchen no gray needed.
Per Ms. Hill:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “black, gray, and white.” Use one, use ’em all. Bonus points if you use all three. Have fun!
I decided I had better get over here and try and see if I have anything at all to report. Sadly, I feel I have much more to-do on everything than any Ta-Da could handle. So let’s see if I can figure out What Day of the Week Is It Anyway? Tuesday means somehow Monday happened and I missed my writers’ group again. I think it is the timing. Sometimes it is after my only meal and I feel I need to wash dishes or nap, sometimes both. My phone isn’t near when I am not at the recliner or the bed or the desk. So hearing an alarm is always elsewhere and I missed it.
And I feel badly in that though I seem to get writing done, it is seldom their prompts that I’ve been writing, and I can’t read aloud right now. The news that I may not even get my surgery until after the beginning of the year is so discouraging. I usually have yWriter read back to me what I’ve been writing. If I am in editing mode I have Word read my work to me. I can’t wait until my eyes can read again! I miss stories coming into my eyes! I often miss things that are read to me. But I’m doing the best I can.
So, I have nearly made the daily quota for NaNo for the day. It is supposed to be 15,003 I’m at 14,861 so before I go to bed I will probably hit that. But with the two medical procedures coming up that will take up whole days I wanted to be a couple days ahead. Not that the procedures will take that long but each time we go to town it is four hours of driving and wearing on body and soul. Who knows how much energy I will have to write those days?
Four socks and a hat are in the early stages so I can’t even feel anything more than happy to be making them. The hands feel good doing what they can, you know?
And maybe because I’m supposed to be writing, I have found my recorders fun again. AND I just found the music book with Moonlight Sonata to play again! Yay! Me! I think I can blame the Pandora station called Classical Study Music Radio. They seem to tease me with that song every other piece! Guess who needs to dust her piano keys? Yep! This gal!
Though I can read music since my eyes are so bad, maybe I should work on this one (I used to have memorized) with just ears so I will try this guy out tomorrow:
Someday maybe I’ll share my musics with you. Right now I wish I could find a quiet spot in the woods where no one can hear me and just mess around with notes and sounds. After all, I share my blunders and mistakes with art, knitting, and all. Yeh, a lot of psychology is involved in the music of my life. It’s a work in progress.
Sorry. No pick of tick or roof or helmet. I’ll do that tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I’m pretty jazzed with my UPS delivery. No, not the Kalimba. I got that a couple months ago. The book that came with it was unclear. So I ordered that big book. Bonus–I can play the songs on the recorders as there are no sharps and flats. I’m just barely learning those on the recorder. And I have no idea how one would make that happen on the Kalimba. I do love the sound on this beautiful instrument.
Ode to Joy. This is often a beginners song in whatever instrument you are trying out. Here is one of my favorite recorder teachers teaching the classic. I am using this video to teach myself to play it on not only soprano but also alto and tenor. Both of the latter are much harder on my hands than the higher squeakier soprano.
Sarah Jeffery
I’ve always been interested in codes and other languages. Maybe the beginning code of my life was music. As a five-year-old, I can remember more of my music lessons than kindergarten or even first grade. Music code was followed by alphabets and Dick, Jane, and Sally. Not only did I learn that code, in the boring sense of black and white, but reading became one of my favorite things.
When I was little, I had a toy piano like Schroeder, with color coded music with keys that match the notes. Maybe that is why I see music and some odd things in colors. Smells have colors. Words have colors. My fingers on the piano keyboard make cartoons in my head. Okay, I never said I was totally sane.
Okay. Not Beethoven but cute, right?
Great for color-coded toy piano, not the best key for beginning recorder.
So sorry to have let my stream erode to elemental music but that is where my crazy ADD floats off to. I have overloaded on the code words when there were so many out there like these:
biodegradable.
photodetector.
electrodermal.
octodecillion.
moderatorship.
modernization.
modernisation.
photocathodes.
Just think of where I could have gone with photocathodes, whatever those are.
Per Linda:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “ode.” Find a one- or two-syllable word that rhymes with “ode,” or use the word “ode.” Have fun!
Making music. My housemates and neighbors may disagree.
My free classes ended last Thursday. It was fun having a Zoom class making progress through elementary music.
I am a music major so I can read music, no problem. Well, except for the eyes that have problems seeing. But recorder music is only one line. As opposed to four or more in piano music. So recorder is easier.
Without the black and white keys I have had to learn finger positions. Seems easy enough. Except fingers, my fingers are short and have a hard time reaching.
Maintaining breath while hitting the notes and trying to keep time present challenges.
Any of you who had to take recorder classes in school might remember the screeching noises of the soprano recorder.
So I am attempting to learn the alto, too. I love it’s rich smooth sounds. But my hands hurt after more than few minutes playing.
All the music time cuts my knitting time. So the socks are just two inches from being done. Maybe this week they’ll be complete.
As I meandered my thoughts about today, I found my eclectic stroll even more so.
My current binge is The Walking Dead, again. My son has all ten seasons. I like watching the old way because there are extra bits like ‘the making of’ or interviews. The show parts I can let slide by as I have committed a lot to memory.
I was watching Outlander again. But it won’t have a new season until next year some time. I’d love to read another book or two, but I’m caught up there, too.
One thing I found in common between these two shows is the music. Guess what? Same musician in both. Bear McCreary is amazing!
Today was my last Beginning Recorder class with Jennifer Carpenter of the American Recorder Society. They were free. As soon as I can, I plan to join. There are more lessons coming up in September. I’m loving learning on my alto and soprano recorders.
Meanwhile, I have a lot of Kindle and paper books to keep up the education.
And there are lessons on YouTube like those of Sarah Jeffery and Team Recorder. She is so much fun.
For those who think Recorder is for grade school take a listen:
That beginning photo at the top of my post? I stepped outside with the dog. The wind was hitting me in the face and the sky looked like it disguised itself with a mustache. It felt so grand to feel such a cool breeze coming from the north. That meant a lot less smoke for us today. I’m thankful for that!
Maybe soon I can start taking walks!? I did learn at the doctor’s appointment on Monday that I have lost over 23 pounds now. Lots still to go but hey, it’s working.
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
Darswords 
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