Category Archives: singing

Chinatown

Posted on May 13, 2015 by

For everyone who uses my book, ‘Fun, Games and Party Pieces for beginner piano‘, here is an extra tune which fits perfectly with the third tune in the book, ‘Chinatown’. Download the PDF ‘Chinatown’ is proving popular with my pupils, … Continue reading →

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Oh Christmas Tree: the Form of (Almost) All Music in a Nutshell

Posted on November 30, 2014 by

I was asked for this song by two sisters; one a piano student and one on the ukulele. They are big fans of Swiss Family Robinson. ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ turned out to be such a good one for beginners, as … Continue reading →

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Jingle Bells: the Perfect Place to Start Harmonising

Posted on November 25, 2014 by

I’m well into Christmas Carol territory with most of my students now. Carols are great tunes to start people off with harmonising, as they are so familiar. The melody is already there, deep in the player’s subconscious. I don’t know … Continue reading →

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Mele Kalikimaka

Posted on October 22, 2014 by

For music teachers, Christmas is just around the corner (you have to have time to learn a tune if you want to impress everyone with it at Christmas) and Conrad’s Chords has had a request! A Christmassy duet for piano … Continue reading →

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Hit the Road Jack

Posted on August 9, 2014 by

My previous blog was all about songs which have one short chord progression repeated throughout the entire song. But I’ve just realised I missed a real gem: Hit the Road Jack! It’s a joy to teach and jam through. Here’s … Continue reading →

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‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’/’Marry You’ Ukulele Mash Up!

Posted on July 25, 2014 by

Downloadable charts (lyrics with chords) – Don’t Worry Be Happy Marry you in C Marry you in F The top two charts include chord diagrams for the soprano ukulele, but any instrument will work. Playing Around with Cyclical Chord Progessions … Continue reading →

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Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Posted on July 2, 2014 by

The Frozen phenomenon continues unabated. The other evening my husband and I were treated to the sounds of a drunken teenage garden party wafting though our kitchen window, the climax being when they all started singing ‘Let it Go’ at … Continue reading →

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As I Went Down in the River to Pray

Posted on June 27, 2014 by

I arranged a two-part version of the old spiritual, ‘As I Went Down in the River to Pray’ a while ago for a brother-sister duo to whom I teach baritone ukulele, piano and singing. We had to work out a … Continue reading →

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Let it Go

Posted on June 4, 2014 by

I wonder how many more music teachers have noticed the ‘Let it Go’ from Frozen phenomenon? Having had the song mentioned to me by a couple of students, I looked it up on youtube, saw a cartoon character with an … Continue reading →

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American Pie

Posted on June 1, 2014 by

A while ago I was singing the beautiful round, ‘By the Waters of Babylon’ with a group of pupils. On listening to the recording by Don MacLean, I advised the young teenager to listen to his two most famous songs, … Continue reading →

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