- EARLY TUNES are a collection of familiar folk and patriotic tunes designed for used with students in their first and second year of study in the class-instruction setting.
- Teachers will find these tunes useful as supplemental material for “fast learners” who might find the normal pace of class instruction under stimulating. Students can download and prepare these tunes on their own and perform them for “extra credit.”
- Some teachers may choose to use these as “choice” pieces, perhaps requiring every student to perform (with piano) one or more of these each semester or grading period.
- The tunes have been arranged for use by violin viola, cello and bass alone or in any combination from a single player to a large string class.
- Some items include Preparatory Exercises. Some of these are instrument specific.
- Some items include lyrics. Class singing is encouraged. The human voice is the best instrument of all. Google the song title for additional lyrics.
- Tunes have been listed in a loosely progressive order from easy to difficult. The first ones fall within the D-major context. Later C natural and F natural will require the Dorian finger pattern. Finally the B flat will need the Locrian pattern.
- Audio tracks in both Midi and Mp3 formats are provided. With a Midi player tempos can be altered as needed. Player applications are available free from the App Store. The piano track should aid the student to correct intonation mistakes, to play with continuity and up to tempo.
- To extend technique beyond this level, proceed to the ONE OCTAVE SCALES and TUNES IN MULTIPLE KEYS section of this website.