Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we are going to learn a song about one of my favorite foods.
Chocolate, especially if it's dark chocolate.
For this song, I like to use my digital piano, because the great thing about digital pianos is you can add a drum loop like this:
You can also change the tone from piano to something cool like electric guitar.
So, I am going to play for you the song "Chocolate" using my digital piano.
♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, chocolate I have some♫
By the way, I'm playing on a Casio Privia, which is my personal favorite for digital pianos.
It has 88 weighted keys, and weighted keys are so important to practice on so you can develop proper finger strength.
If you're not already practicing on a keyboard with weighted keys,
I highly recommend it. You can find a link to this piano, more info about it, on our website.
Okay, let's figure out how the notes of this song are moving.
I'll sing part of the melody, and you tell me if the notes are going up, going down, or repeating.
Here goes:
What did you hear?
If you said the notes are going up, you're correct.
There are five notes stepping up. ♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum.♫
Now here's the next part of the song. Tell me how the notes are moving here:
What did you hear now?
If you said stepping down, you're correct.
The notes are five notes stepping down. ♫Chocolate I have some♫
Now let's put those two parts together, and can you move your hand with me the direction the notes are moving?
Ready, go: ♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, chocolate I have some♫
Good, now let's learn the solfège for these five notes.
The lowest note will be DO,
and then that steps up to RE, then MI, FA SO.
Can you try that with me? Let's do those five notes stepping up, and try the hand signs with me. Sing, and move your hands. Go.
DO RE MI FA SO
Now we're going to step down. SO FA MI RE DO.
Okay, a little faster now, go: DO RE MI FA SO
SO FA MI RE DO
Good job!
Now let's practice moving our fingers for this song. If you can hold up your right hand like me,
we're going to do stepping up starting with your thumb like this. ♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum.♫ Now your turn. Can you do that? Go.
Good, now let's try singing the solfège. We're going to do the same pattern again.
DO RE MI FA SO.
Now your turn, go.
Good, now it's my turn. We're going to step down now. SO FA MI RE DO. Your turn.
Good, now let's try the whole song together singing the lyrics, which means the words of the song.
So we'll sing 'yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, chocolate I have some' starting with your thumb.
Ready, try it with me, go: ♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, chocolate I have some♫
Pretty easy, right?
Good, now let's try it with our left hand.
Okay, hold up your left hand like me.
Remember that in the left hand, it's our pinky that's the lowest note. So the pinky will be DO.
Let's try it once taking turns. My turn first: DO RE MI FA SO. Your turn.
Good, now my turn. SO FA MI RE DO. Your turn.
Good, now let's try it together singing the lyrics. Ready, go: ♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, chocolate I have some♫
Good, now we're ready to try it on the piano.
Okay, let's place our right hand on C D E F G like this.
We're going to play "Chocolate".
I'll take a turn first, then your turn.
We'll go, DO RE MI FA SO, your turn.
Good, now my turn starting on SO. SO FA MI RE DO, your turn.
Good, now put those both together and it will sound like this: ♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum,♫
♫chocolate I have some♫ Your turn.
Let's review real quick what your finger should look like while you play.
Remember, they should be comfortably curved, except for your thumb, which pretty much just points out straight
and plays on its side tip.
As you play, keep your fingers close to the keys like this.
Each finger should rest on the keys as you play.
And allow your wrist to bounce a little bit as you play each note to help you stay relaxed.
Now, press pause and try it a few more times until you can get your fingers
to look like this as you play.
Press play when you're ready to try it in the left hand.
Okay, now let's place your left hand on C D E F G.
So now your pinky will be on C, and then you'll go up from there.
This time let's try saying the letter names as we play.
I'll take a turn first.
C D E F G, your turn.
Good, now it's my turn again. I'm going to start on G and go back down.
G F E D C. Now your turn.
Remember that with the left hand just like the right hand, we want the fingers to rest on the keys
in a comfortably curved shape.
Press pause and practice playing "Chocolate" with your left hand using great piano posture, then press play again when you're ready to go on.
Now for fun, here's a few other things you can do. You can try substituting in your own favorite food.
Like, other than chocolate, I also love curry. So we could say, ♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, curry I have some♫
Or if you like pizza, you could say: ♫pizza I have some♫
Or ♫apples I have some♫
Think of your own favorite foods and try putting in your own words.
Another challenge I'd like to show you is playing both hands at the same time.
Remember, your right hand is going to start on finger 1 while your left hand starts on its pinky finger 5.
Like this: ♫Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, chocolate I have some♫
That's a really super challenge.
If it doesn't happen for a few days, that's okay. Just keep trying it till you get it.
Great job today learning "Chocolate".
As we learn new songs like this, I want you to always go back and review your old songs too.
So everyday, play "Chocolate", "Frog In the Middle", "Hot Cross Buns", "Five Woodpeckers".
The more you practice, the better you're going to get especially if you're practicing with good piano posture.
Have lots of fun practicing, and I'm getting hungry, so I'm going to go get some chocolate. So, I'll see you next time!
Chef, all this singing and talking about chocolate is making me really hungry.
Is there anything you have in your bakery that's chocolatey?
Why, yes Mr. Hoffman. I have this chocolate, chocolate, chocolate chip cookie. Would you like it?
Well yes, I would! Why, thank you!
Well enjoy!
I will.
Yum! Wow, Mr. Hoffman that looks delicious. Can I have some?
Uh, sure Scuba, I don't mind sharing. Here you go.
Gee, thanks!
You're welcome!
Ooo, that looks scrumptious. Mind if I have a bite?
Uh, sure Princess. I don't mind sharing here you go.
Thank you!
Enjoy!
We want some too! You're planning on sharing that right?
Of course! Here's a little for you.
Thank you!
Here's for you Fireman.
Thanks Mr. Hoffman. You red bird, and Baby. Enjoy guys!
Thank you! We will!
Uh, Mr. Hoffman, I see you've been making fast progress on the cookie.
Yep.
Well, it's a good thing I brought another one for you.
Are you serious? Oh, thank you so much.
Enjoy!
Hey, Mr. Hoffman!
Uh, yes Scuba?
I just wanted to say, don't forget the milk!
I brought this for you!
Thank you.
You're too kind.
At last!