String Riffs Volume Three Teacher’s Score

Two Step Cha Cha Cha

Keep those feet moving with musical math, 16th-note rhythms, and an intriguing key signature modulation. Chant “cha cha cha” for accented flair and end with a flourish — olé!

Two Step Cha Cha Cha teaches:

• 16th-note rhythms
• key signature modulation
• “cha cha cha” chant
• accents

Three (Spotted) Owls in a Bird Bath

A “late night snack of tasty rats” is the reward for learning legato, slurs, dynamics, and string crossings with rhythmic lyrics.

Three (Spotted) Owls in a Bird Bath teaches:

• legato
• slurs
• dynamics
• string crossings
• rhythmic lyrics like “late night snack of tasty rats”

Spicy Tacos!

Syncopation adds a dash of hot sauce to this Southwestern treat topped with hooked and detaché bows, accents, melody for cellos, and two-part composition.

Spicy Tacos! teaches:

• syncopation
• hooked and detaché bows
• accents
• melody for cellos
• two-part writing

Cottontail Capers

Hop through quick slurs, staccato accents, and rhythm changes with stop- and circle-bow practice. Find your inner bunny with subdivision into eighth and quarter notes.

Cottontail Capers teaches:

• quick slurs
• staccato accents
• rhythms
• subdivision
• stop bows
• circle bows

Rodeo Clowns

Show confidence and keep counting as you step into the arena on playful terraced entrances. Fourth finger agility takes the place of open strings.

Rodeo Clowns teaches:

• counting
• terraced entrances
• confidence
• fourth finger vs. open strings

Scary String Story

“Spooky Halloween Strings” by Faith Jackson

G-String George Round

Stroll up and down the G-string and conquer first-position basics using the patterns of a round.

G-String George Round teaches:

• G-string
• first-position basics
• round

G-String George

Learn the secrets of memorizing new G-string notes with pizzicato and arco, and encourage eager players with a “challenge” section.

G-String George teaches:

• memorization of new G-string notes
• pizzicato
• arco
• “challenge” section

Road Runner Round-Up

Keep up with this fast and feisty desert bird using counterpoint, and sharpen your ears with open harmonies, part independence, and intonation work.

Road Runner Round-Up teaches:

• counterpoint
• open harmonies
• part independence
• intonation

Jitter Puggle

Slurred scales require loose hands and a steady beat with dynamics and circle bows.

Jitter Puggle teaches:

• slurred scales
• loose hands
• steady beat
• dynamics
• circle bows

 

Hedgehog Hustle

Watch those tiny, spiny balls of fur wander and fiddle across the C major scale and review the G-string with a steady beat and section practice.

Hedgehog Hustle teaches:

• C major scale
• G-string review
• steady beat
• section practice

Yells at Dark Clouds

When the sky turns grey, phrasing across a large musical arc requires extra strength from the violas and second violins. Melody, harmony, slurs, and ties build a rising storm with crescendo and diminuendo.

Yells at Dark Clouds teaches:

• phrasing across large musical arc
• strong playing from violas & second violins
• melody & harmony
• slurs
• ties
• crescendo
• diminuendo

Arizona Rodeo

Ride ‘em, cowboy! Cello and bass extensions strengthen bull-riding skills, while left-hand pizzicato requires a steady hand on the reins. Try calf roping in cut time.

Arizona Rodeo teaches:

• cello and bass extensions
• left-hand pizzicato
• cut time

 

The Pirate’s Awakening

Sail the high seas with sloshing, swaying patterns in 6/8 and 3/4. Aggressive accents and double down-bows lead to the buried treasure of eighth-note subdivision in a flexible intermediate-to-advanced format.

The Pirate’s Awakening/The Pirate’s Lair teach:

• 6/8 and 3/4 patterns
• aggressive accents
• double down-bows
• eighth-note subdivision
• flexible intermediate-to-advanced format

The Pirate’s Lair

In this companion piece to The Pirate’s Awakening you’ll find the exciting treasure of more challenging parts for your advanced players.

The Pirate’s Awakening and The Pirate’s Lair teach:

• 6/8 and 3/4
• aggressive accents
• double down-bows
• eighth-note subdivision
• flexible intermediate-to-advanced format

 

Alligator Alouette

Slither, shuffle, and scamper from D minor to D major and back again. Watch for flats and sharps using high/low fingerings, slurs, and terraced entrances. Alligator Alouette teaches:

• D minor/D major/D minor
• flats & sharps
• high/low fingerings
• slurs
• terraced entrances

 

Advanced Rhythm Chart

Celebration!

It’s time for a party on the G major scale — break out the hooked bows, half notes, and quarter notes in 3/4 time.

Celebration! teaches:

• G major scale
• hooked bows
• half notes
• quarter notes
• 3/4 time

Chaos to Ahhs

Work your way through a thicket of tremolo, glissando, extra accidentals, and accents, and you’ll resolve into col legno and a fermata with heartfelt “ahhs.”

Chaos to Ahhs teaches:

• tremolo
• glissando
• accidentals
• accents
• col legno
• resolution
• fermata

Glossary of Musical Terms

Gila Monster Mash Up

Watch the low strings lead the way with a driving line as this colorful beaded lizard encourages the challenge of eighth notes and rests. Extensions and low fingerings work with double up-bows and dynamics for fast fun. Gila Monster Mash Up teaches:

• driving line in low strings
• fast eighth notes & rests
• extensions & low fingerings
• double up-bows
• dynamics