Hello, and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we are learning a new song "Five Woodpeckers".
This song has a story and I need your help with it.
First let's make a tree.
This tree is deep in the forest,
and there were five woodpeckers that liked to peck on this tree.
The first woodpecker was actually strangely afraid of heights
and so he always pecked down low on the tree.
Like this: woodpecker, tap tap.
Then woodpecker number two was a little bit braver so he would peck here.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Number three was a little braver.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
And number four was braver still.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Woodpecker number five was the bravest of all.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Then they all pecked one more time.
Looking for a bug. Yum!
Can you tell what the woodpeckers were looking for?
If you said a bug, you are right.
They were looking for something to eat.
Did you know that under the bark of a tree, little bugs live.
And that's what the woodpeckers are tapping for.
A little snack.
Now will you try the whole song with me using your tree
and tapping on the tree with me together as we sing.
Ready go.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Looking for a bug. Yum!
Now each of these woodpeckers has a name.
Do you remember in "Hot Cross Buns" how we gave a name for each note?
MI RE DO.
And that lowest note was called DO.
Well, the same thing in "Five Woodpeckers"
the lowest woodpecker is also called DO.
So now we're going to sing "Five Woodpeckers" using solfege
and that will give each Woodpecker a name.
We call the lowest one DO. The next one's called RE.
The next one's called MI. And now here are two new ones.
FA and SO.
Now let's try to sing the whole thing using solfege this time.
Ready go.
DO DO DO DO DO.
RE RE RE RE RE .
MI MI MI MI MI.
FA FA FA FA FA .
SO SO SO SO SO.
SO FA MI RE DO. DO.
Good job.
Now, let's practice moving our fingers for "Five Woodpeckers".
Woodpecker number one which is DO is going to be this finger right here.
This will be woodpecker number one.
So I'll go first, then you take a turn.
My turn. Woodpecker, tap tap.
Now you try.
Good. Next we'll move to woodpecker number two like this.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Your turn.
Good, now number three.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Your turn.
Now number four's turn.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Your turn.
Now number five's turn.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Your turn.
Good, now all five woodpeckers will get one more turn
starting with woodpecker number five.
Looking for a bug. Yum!
Your turn.
Now, who caught the bug? DO RE MI FA or SO?
If you said DO, you are correct.
He's the one who said yum.
Now, let's try the whole thing one more time together this time.
Move your fingers with me and we'll say the solfa this time.
Starting with DO. Ready go.
DO DO DO DO DO.
RE RE RE RE RE .
MI MI MI MI MI.
FA FA FA FA FA .
SO SO SO SO SO.
SO FA MI RE DO. DO.
Good. Now you're ready to try it on the piano.
For "Five Woodpeckers" we're going to be using the white keys.
Remember in one of our past lessons learning how to find C on the piano?
So can you point to the C on your screen that is nearest the middle of the piano?
If you're pointing right here, you are correct.
Now for this song, we're not only going to use C, but also D, E, F and G.
Let's point to each of these five notes and say them together.
Let's say the letter names. Go.
C, D, E, F, G.
Now those five notes in this song will be
DO RE MI FA and SO.
Alright so now, using your great piano posture, let's place five fingers on
C D E F G one finger for each note like this.
Now you'll remember from piano posture that these fingers should be curved.
The only exception is your thumb, which is pretty straight when it plays.
Now I'll play part of "Five Woodpeckers" and then you play it back.
My turn first. We'll start with woodpecker number one.
Woodpecker, tap tap. Your turn.
Now woodpecker number two.
Woodpecker, tap tap. Now your turn.
Good now woodpecker number three.
Woodpecker, tap tap. your turn.
Good now number four.
Woodpecker, tap tap. Your turn.
Good now number five. My turn.
Woodpecker, tap tap. Your turn.
Good. Now each woodpecker will peck one more time starting with SO.
Looking for a bug. Yum!
Your turn.
Great. Now one thing I want you to remember as you play this
is to keep your fingers in a relaxed and curved shape
and then also let your wrist bounce a little bit downward as you play each note.
And that will help the note to go down.
It's using the momentum and the motion of your whole hand.
Now what I'd like you to do is press pause and practice by yourself a few times
and when you're ready, press play again and play along with me.
Alright, now let's play "Five Woodpeckers" together starting on DO.
One, two, ready, go.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Looking for a bug. Yum!
Alright let's talk about how we can play "Five Woodpeckers"
using our left hand.
The left hand usually feels more comfortable playing on the lower part of the piano.
So can you point to a C that's on the lowest part of your screen?
I you're pointing right here, you are correct.
So our left hand also needs to cover up C D E F and G
but you'll notice for the left hand to be able to do that,
now instead of our thumb covering up C,
since your left hand is built opposite of your right hand,
now our pinky will be on C.
Then our other fingers will go up from there.
So now when we start playing "Five Woodpeckers"
our pinky will begin since it's on the lowest note.
So let's try "Five Woodpeckers" now with our left hand.
Okay it will look like this.
Woodpecker, tap tap.
Looking for a bug. Yum!
Great job learning "Five Woodpeckers".
This is another song that I'd like you to practice every day.
Why don't you try three times in your right hand
and three times in your left hand every day.
The first time you play it I'd like you to sing the regular words.
The second time you play it I'd like you to sing the solfege while you play.
Like this: DO DO DO DO DO.
RE RE RE RE RE etcetera.
Then the third time try singing the letter names of the notes as you play.
Like this: C C C C C.
D D D D D. Etcetera.
If you'd like the music you can download it along with practice instructions from our
website.
Now for an extra super challenge, after you've practiced that for several days,
one thing that you might want to try is playing it both hands at the same time.
I'm warning you, that's pretty tricky so I'd save that
until you know it really well.
Thanks for watching, and I'll see you next time.
Here's how I would say it. Looking for a bug. Yuck!
Who would want to eat a bug? I'd like a big piece of chocolate cake myself.