Sidebar Part 1 of 11: SproutBeat Library

Nov 28, 2023 | App Features

In this series of articles, we’re highlighting the different options found in the SproutBeat Navigation Sidebar. Part 1 is all about the first icon: the SproutBeat Library.

Don’t know what SproutBeat is yet? Click here to learn more

1. Check out what’s new!

What's New Section

When you first visit the SproutBeat Library, you’ll see thumbnails of our most recent games and worksheets. We want to keep things fresh and exciting yet not overwhelming, so we limit it to no more than 30 resources at a time. If something catches your eye, we highly recommend organizing it into your very own “My Library” (see below). Trust us, it’s a game-changer!

2. Categories

Along the top menu bar above the SproutBeat Library, you’ll see four options to help filter through our 3,000+ resources. The first is “Categories,” which divides all our content into roughly 50 different topics like chords, ear training, certain holidays, music history, etc. Each resource is assigned to several relevant categories so you can quickly find what you need.

For instance, maybe you’re looking for ear training games that help your students identify the four basic chord qualities. You’ll find it not only under “Ear Training” but also in “Chords.” We like to cover all the bases. But wait, there’s more! Once you’ve chosen a category, you can further filter the results by selecting any number of detailed tags that appear near the top. Toggle on and off these tags as you drill down to find specific types of chord qualities you want your students to review.

Want to learn more about using these detailed tags? Watch this handy video.

3. Methods

The SproutBeat library is absolutely massive, boasting over 3,000 interactive music theory games and worksheets. It’s like a treasure trove for teaching! We get it, though – such a vast collection can be overwhelming, especially if you’re new to the app. That’s why we created the “Methods” option.

In this section, we’ve pre-organized our resources to align with popular piano methods used by teachers all over the world. Just select the method you’re using with your students, pick the appropriate level and unit, and voilà! You’ll have a tailored list of games and worksheets that perfectly complement your lessons.

Of course, while the “Methods” section is a fantastic starting point, we still encourage you to create your very own library (keep reading…almost there!). Personalize it, make it yours – that way, you can truly cater the teaching experience to your unique style and individual students’ needs.

4. Curricula

The “Curricula” section is specifically created to accommodate various theory exam boards. Each game and worksheet is meticulously chosen to align with the syllabus of different organizations, making it super easy for students to review during the week and be ready on exam day.

And here’s the best part: even if your students aren’t planning to participate in exams, these resources are incredibly valuable for your studio. They’re thoughtfully sequenced to enhance learning and provide valuable insights that can benefit every student, testing or not.

5. My Library

You made it! While all those other options can save you time, this is the section that can really unlock the power of SproutBeat in your music studio. Organizing your own folders inside “My Library” allows you to craft a unique system tailored to your teaching style and specific needs. Here are some ideas:

Interview Packet: This section could house games specifically designed to assess potential students’ music aptitude and focus during introductory sessions. Games can reveal a lot about a student – do they think critically or guess? How do they handle mistakes? Can they self-correct? This insight is invaluable when understanding a student’s learning style and abilities.
Everyday-Use Resources: Include materials that you frequently use in your lessons. This might consist of staff paper for note writing, evaluation charts for assessing student performance, or “Let’s Discover” sheets to analyze music before playing. These resources become your teaching essentials, always at your fingertips.
End-of-Level Checkoffs: Create a section for mini quizzes or assessments to ensure your students are fully prepared to progress to the next level. These checkoffs can help you gauge your student’s understanding and mastery of the material before moving forward.

Remember, your teaching library is entirely yours to design. It becomes a powerful, personalized tool that not only saves you time and effort but also enhances your teaching effectiveness. By curating resources that align with your teaching methods, you’re creating a valuable resource that can be used with current and future students.

So, go ahead, design your teaching library, and make your teaching journey even more enriching and efficient!

Want to read the next article in this series? Go to The Navigation Bar, Part 2 – The Students List

Beginning Students Using Piano Safari

Nov 16, 2023 | Teaching Tips and Tricks

Do you have beginning students using Piano Safari?

Visit the SproutBeat Library and check out the “Methods” section to see a curated list of games and worksheets that correspond directly with Piano Safari Book 1, including the Intro Unit.

Book 1, Intro Unit

Select 'Piano Safari' method from the drop-down list.

Select the Piano Safari Book and the Unit you'd like to view.

Just head to the main screen of the web app, click “Methods,” and then select “Piano Safari” from the drop-down list. From there you can choose which book and which unit within that book.

To supplement the Intro Unit, we’ve created customized games and worksheets specific to Piano Safari. Have fun with the rhythm words for Charlie Chipmunk, Kangaroo, and Zechariah Zebra. Explore the different rhythm patterns from the sight reading cards. Build auditory awareness through simple ear training samples that correlate directly with this method. Review basic music terminology, like measures and bar lines, in ways that make sense to new beginners.

A list of SproutBeat games and worksheets that correspond to Piano Safari, Book 1, Intro unit.

Supplementing with SproutBeat during the week can really solidify students’ learning and help them progress faster, setting them up for even more success later.

Learn more about the Piano Safari method here.

Leah Drake of Vibrant Valley Music Studio

Oct 15, 2023 | Studio Spotlights, Testimonials

Leah Drake of Vibrant Valley Music Studio

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Need ideas for a music practice incentive program?

Leah Drake is a SproutBeat power user!

Since her music studio is made up of mostly group classes, you might think it’s hard to incorporate SproutBeat‘s online theory into lesson time. Not so! Through parent education and fun music practice incentives, she has her students trained to regularly complete their assignments during the week.

To do this, Leah creates individual student accounts inside her SproutBeat student section. She then helps students (and parents, if needed) learn how to access the website. On their own time, students visit the SproutBeat app site to play any of the theory games or fill out the digital worksheets that show up in their Assigned section. They love that the games are short and fun, and they can choose to play them as many times as they want.

Leah says:

I love how [SproutBeat] lets me personalize assignments and award points to each student. I have an incentive program that allows students to exchange their SproutBeat points for prizes. I also occasionally print out worksheets to use for assessment throughout the year.

Check out this fun music practice incentive program her studio participated in during the first semester of 2023:

About Leah

Leah Drake is an independent studio owner in San Jose, California. She teachers primarily in groups with both same level and multi-level formats and loves to incorporate technology into her teaching and business admin.

Visit Vibrant Valley Music Studio’s website

Follow Leah’s music studio on Facebook

Identifying major and minor triads

Oct 15, 2023 | SproutBeat Games, SproutBeat Worksheets

We often hear that introducing concepts using multiple sensory modes (sight, sound, touch, etc.) can help cement long-term learning. When you pair games that work on ear training with worksheets that involve writing things out and identifying what they see, students really get a chance to build comprehension.

These games and worksheets can help you music students really understand major and minor triads.

Game IDs #3263G and #2570G - Major and Minor Triads

Once students have learned the definitions of major and minor, these games help music students connect the terms to what they sound like.

How are these games played?

Game #3263G – Students click on one of seven play buttons to listen to a major or minor melodic chord, followed by the harmonic chord. Then they drag that circle to the cute animals at the bottom labeled “minor” and “major”.

Game #2570G – This game looks different, using a honeycomb and honeybee theme, but functions almost the same. When clicking on one of the honeycomb, students hear the blocked version first, then the triad broken apart, and then drag it to the honeypot labeled “minor” or “major”.

Who is this game a good fit for?

It is helpful if students can read so they can tell which choice at the bottom is major or minor. But teachers and parents can easily explain to readers who struggle.

These games align very well to method levels that cover melodic and harmonic major and minor triads, such as Piano Adventures 2A and 2B.

How do I find these games?

To find these games and assign them to your students, use the search icon in the top left of the app site and search for either 3263G or 2570G.

Worksheet IDs #3256W , #1621W, #1622W

In these worksheets, students break down major and minor root-position chords into their individual parts.

What concepts are covered?

In Worksheet #3256W, students compare several piano keyboard positions and identify if the marked keys comprise a major or minor triad.

In Worksheets #1621W and #1622W, only the notation for the chord is provided, and students then identify if the notes shown represent a major or minor triad.

What do students need to know before using these worksheets?

The first worksheet (3256W) is great for students who are playing the triads by ear, since no reading on the staff is required.

The second and third worksheets, however, do require students to be able to read root position triads in melodic form on the Treble Staff (1621W) and Bass Staff (1622W).

How do I find these worksheets?

As with the games, just type in the Worksheet ID# into the search bar on the top-right corner of the web app.

Enjoy!

Collage of Worksheets 1621W, 1622W, and 3256W

Comparing Two Sounds

Oct 14, 2023 | SproutBeat Games

Game ID #2002G - Same or Different

This interactive music theory game helps beginning students compare two sounds, an essential skill for developing strong ear training skills.

How is this game played?

In this game, students don’t have to label or describe what they hear; they just notice if the pairs of sounds are the same or different.

Then, they drag the outline of the owl they clicked on to either the two owls that match (bottom left) or the two owls that are different (bottom right). Students can choose to turn on or off the 50-second timer and can play as many times as they wish.

Who is this game a good fit for?

This is a great game to use with assessing ability at the very first lesson, with early beginners who aren’t reading text yet, or for any students who struggle with hearing the difference between high and low sounds. It works nicely with any primer or preschool method series.

How do I find this game?

To find this game and assign it to your students, use the search icon in the top left of the app site and search for “2002G”.

Enjoy!

Reviewing Major Triads

Oct 13, 2023 | SproutBeat Worksheets

Worksheet ID #2491W - C Major Triad

If you’re looking for a worksheet to review the C major triad, look no further! Build a triad with letter names, mark where it belongs on the keyboard, and write where it lives on the Bass and Treble Staves.

Ready to review other major triads?

Here are all the worksheets in this series:

A Major – #2496W
B Major – #2497W
C Major – #2491W
D Major – #2492W
E Major – #2493W
F Major – #2494W
G Major – #2495W

What do students need to know before using these worksheets?

This series of worksheets is helpful for students who have learned almost all the notes on the Grand Staff and are familiar with major scales that start on a white key. It correlates well with students in Piano Adventures Levels 2A and 2B, but any student can use them.

How do I find these worksheets?

Quickly find one at a time by using the search icon in the top left of the app site to enter the ID number you’re looking for. Or you can view them all at once by visiting the category Chords and then filtering for Worksheets and Major Triads.

Enjoy!