One of the first music theory games I made was Pirate Treasure and it has always been a huge hit with my students – particularly when playing against me! In this two player game, students have to really know their note values or risk losing! It covers 1, 2, 3 and 4 beat notes so…
Category: music lessons
Sparking the imagination in music lessons
“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” Brad Henry Hands up if your imagination was a huge part of growing up! As a child I remember making dens in the garden with friends and hiding from dragons, or dressing up with clothes from mum’s wardrobe and pretending to be characters…
Apple Rocket: a customisable music theory game
A game ideal for music lessons which allows teachers to choose any notes to suit each individual student! If your music studio is anything like mine, you will have students at all kinds of different levels. No two students are the same even if they are at the same page of the tutor book. Some…
A piano can tell a story
“There are eighty-eight keys on a piano and within that, an entire universe” James Rhodes I found this quote a while ago and it really struck a chord (no pun intended!). When learning the piano growing up, I always loved how I could pick up a book of music and be transported to a different…
Spooky Town: a music theory game
Visit Spooky Town – just don’t tap the bats in this music rests game! Are you a music teacher looking for Halloween music theory games for your students? Spooky Town is a fun game for beginners and covers simple rests of 1 and 2 beats plus the whole bar rest. Students answer questions before entering…
NEW music mystery for beginners
Learn the tunes, search for clues and find the ‘Lost Diamond’ in this interactive mystery! A fun book of sheet music with accompanying online games. Fans of my first music mystery, ‘Who Ate My Cake’ will be delighted to hear I have made another one! Students use their musical detective skills to uncover the truth…
Zoom music lessons and the 40 minute cut off
Are you getting caught out by the 40 minute limit on zoom? I’ve read a lot of posts during lockdown about music teachers having only one student in the lesson, but then another one enters the waiting room setting off the timer. It’s annoying isn’t it! There’s a lot of sense in getting the pro…
Hot Chilli: music flashcards game
There’s a reason why flashcards are so popular in most teaching subjects … because they are highly effective as a learning tool! Add a game in there too and they become motivational and fun. In the online game, Hot Chilli, students practice naming notes in either treble or bass clefs using the inbuilt flashcards. Ask…
Monster Mash: a mystery adventure for beginner musicians
Can you help Max the detective find the mashed potato eating monster?! The monsters in Max’s town love to spend their days making music games and eating their favourite foods. But one of them eats so much mashed potato that the town keeps running out! Play the games to practice all kinds of beginner theory…
An idea for teaching in person during COVID-19
I had a brainwave that I’d like to share with other music teachers who have gone back to in person teaching. I have been wondering about how we can share music safely with our students as it’s not possible to clean sheet music – not unless you want it to go all crinkly! The issue…
Secret Letter: a music game of hide and seek for two players
I used to love playing hide and seek as a kid! This classic game is in the inspiration behind ‘Secret Letter’; an online music theory game for two players (may also work as two teams). The scene is an apartment building with lots of post boxes. Each round, one player hides the secret letter for…
Treasure in the Desert: making online music teaching fun!
One of the most popular games in my music studio whilst I have been teaching online is ‘Treasure in the Desert’. It has been great for practising note reading, particularly with those students who can get overwhelmed with sight-reading. Sometimes they find there is just too much to think about – notes, rhythm, expression, keeping…
