Fortune Cookies by Dennis Alexander and Martha Mier

Half Notes

Rhythm

Notes whose lengths are equal to one half the value of a whole note.

View

Melody Between Hands

Texture

A simple melody line shared by both the right hand and the left hand.

View

Off-Staff Notation

Notes and Notation

A type of notation that doesn't use staff lines; sometimes called "floating notes".

View

Piano

Expression

An indication instructing the player to play softly.

View

Quarter Notes

Rhythm

Notes whose lengths are equal to one-fourth the value of a whole note.

View

Repeated Single Notes

Intervals

The same note that occurs several times in a row throughout a piece.

View

Simple Time Signature

Meter

A time signature where the fundamental beat is subdivided into groupings of two.

View

Steps

Intervals

Simple intervals that introduce students to 2nds and use two adjacent white keys.

View

Sustain Pedal

Expression

Also called the damper pedal, it is the rightmost pedal on the piano and used to sustain notes by moving the dampers away from the strings.

View

Three Black Keys

Scales and Hand Positions

A simple hand position where only F#, G#, and A# are played; almost always notated with off-staff notation.

View

Two Black Keys

Scales and Hand Positions

A simple hand position where only C# and D# are played; almost always notated with off-staff notation.

View

Fortune Cookies

Dennis Alexander, Martha Mier

Video

Elements

Half Notes

Melody Between Hands

Off-Staff Notation

Piano

Quarter Notes

Repeated Single Notes

Simple Time Signature

Steps

Sustain Pedal

Three Black Keys

Two Black Keys

Details