Recorder Express, Book
One of the assets of Recorder Express is the song material. There is a great variety of folk, traditional and familiar songs and melodies – from “Old Brass Wagon” to an excerpt of the Finale to the William Tell Overture to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Each new note has several songs to play. There are over 15 songs using just B, A and G. -Kathy
This preferred recorder method of classrooms across the United States, The Recorder Express, by Artie Almeida, includes over 120 exercises and melodies (folk, pop and original songs), as well as technique tips and an introduction to music theory. Familiar songs have the words included, occasionally including more than one verse.
Vocabulary, theory, rhythm or technique concepts, as well as new notes, are highlighted in train car pictures (the Vocabulary Express, for example). Helpful tips and questions about the music are given throughout the book. A "Superstar Express" challenge page is included at the end of the book. Each piece shows the correct track to use on the optional 98 track CD (when applicable), and how many measures of introduction are used for each accompaniment.
The CD is available separately or in a book/CD combination (item 828167).
Note Progression: B, A, G, high C, high D, low E, low D, F#, low C, F, high E.
Contents:
- The Recorder
- Finger Placement and Posture
- Tone Production
- Practice Techniques
- Music Fundamentals
- Playing B
- Playing A
- Playing B & A
- Playing G
- Playing B, A & G:
- Hot Cross Buns, Au Claire de la Lune, Suo Gan, Merrily We Roll Along, Buns Cross Hot, Quarter Note Quickstep, Half Note Hop, Triple Meter Practice, Wacky Waltz, The Frog, Steps and Skips, Good News, Eighth Note Encounter, Lucy Locket, Hop Old Squirrel, Mary's Busy Lamb, Theory Express (pencil exercise), All Aboard, Down at the Station, Long-Legged Sailor, Old MacDonald, Bullet Train.
- Playing C:
- Juba, Triple Meter Trip, Humpty Dumpty, Recorder Reminders, Hallelujah Chorus, The Grand Old Duke of York.
- Playing D:
- Lady Come, Expanding Intervals, Harmonious Buns, The Escalator, Jelly in the Bowl, Lightly Row, Jingle Bells, Aura Lee, Sounds of Autumn, Pop Goes the Weasel, The Farmer in the Dell (modified), Andante, When the Saints Go Marching In, Starlight Starbright, Row, Row, Row Your Boat (modified), Love Somebody, Bow Wow Wow (2 versions), Cobbler, Cobbler, Winter Goodbye, Cobbler's Song, Bransle de Champagne, Technique Express (exercises), Rhythm Express (exercises), Theory Express (pencil express).New Note (low) E: Starlight Starbright, Quiet Moments, Engine, Engine #9, Chinese Song, Misty Mountain Morning, Tiptoe, Wayfaring Stranger.
- Playing Low D
- Playing Low D & E:
- Theme from Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Hush Little Baby, Old Brass Wagon, Red River Valley, Scotland's Burning, Alouette, Challenge Buns, Jungle Bells, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, William Tell Overture (excerpt), Amazing Grace, All Night All Day, I Got Rhythm, The Lion Sleeps Tonight.Using the New Note F#: When the Saints Go Marching In, Wedding March, Yankee Doodle, Skip to My Lou, The Water Is Wide, Down in the Valley, Home on the Range, Polly Wolly Doodle.
- Using the New Note Low C:
- Basement Buns, Merrily We Roll Along, Suo Gan, Shortnin' Bread.
- Using the New Note F:
- Hot Cross Buns Revisited, Au Claire de la Lune, Lucy Locket, Taps, Practice for C Scale (pencil and practice exercises), Tommy Had a Brother, Camptown Races, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Kookaburra, Puff the Magic Dragon, Hymn from Finlandia, French Folk Song, Li'l Liza Jane, The Bluebells of Scotland.
- Holiday Express:
- Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Good King Wenceslas, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, My Dreydl, Joy to the World, Happy Birthday, Hanukkah Nights, We 3 Kings, O Come All Ye Faithful, Auld Lang Syne.
Author | Almeida, Artie |
Format | Book |
Print Age/Grade | Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 |
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Love this Book!
My kids love the book! The songs are in a great and natural progression for young or advanced players alike. The variety of songs are great for classroom practice and for concert performances!
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Recorder Express
I love Artie Almeida, her book, and her style.
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Good Content
The content is quite good, but my fourth graders thought that the graphics were a bit immature.
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Easy to use the train theme on bulletin boards to help with assessment.
I've used this method for 2 years and use the SmartMusic program along with it to help with assessment. The students seem to respond well to the independence of testing themselves. It also feeds into our band program method which also uses SmartMusic. I purchased 450 copies of the book so students can borrow a book to take home from now on.
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Great book
Love this book - have used it for years - my students buy it in 4th grade. AND love that it is on Smartmusic software - the ONLY elementary method book on it. I like using Smartmusic with my music readers - helps all of them track the notes in the measures when they light up. Good collection of songs and nice accompaniments.