[A note to add that this is not my original idea. Most beginner piano books start this way, although they soon move to the stave (notes on lines) and introduce chords. This does not suit Molly. I hope, by staying with this pictorial form, she will be able to play simplified versions of songs she likes.]
This is the popular Brahms Lullaby (Johannes Brahms “Lullaby” or “Cradle Song” Op. 49, No. 4) which most children know. I’ve drawn it for Molly, and she likes flowers, so there are dandelions, sunflowers and um… some pink flowers.
I recently tried Molly with some very big notes on the stave (lines) from a Primer Level book to see if she could read them, just middle C and D. But she wasn’t able it make a distinction between the two. So we will continue this way, because she enjoys it and it enables her to play many songs. She now plays Ode To Joy, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Beauty and The Beast, although the last one is a bit harder and we are doing it in small stages. I try and get her involved, so we’ve written a few songs together about her farm and her breakfast – below – which was the very first time we did this! Molly liked it very much, so we continue.
That was on a piece of paper, but I’ve since graduated to an app called Sketches on my iPad, which I love using.
Molly’s mother is happy for me to document Molly’s journey, so I’m sharing some of what we do here. I’m glad that we have found a way that allows her to be engaged with music and enjoy playing her piano.
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