Tunes for beginners.

[ajspiano]

Okay, readily recognizable melody or theme from any genre that falls within the range of a 9th - (bonus if that range sits as a 5th above and below the tonic) - does not modulate, and contains no chromatic passing notes, and is in a major key.

Ideally the melody can also be expressed using only crotchets, minims, dotted minims and semibreves, and as such is in 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4 time.. also ideally makes use of the full, or at least nearly the full range.

Additional bonus if you can come up with one that does not use an interval wider than a 3rd between each note.

Go.

Any piano repertoire in general that (nearly) fits the criteria is an acceptable and welcomed answer, such as the first sections of mikrokosmos or first term at the piano by bartok.

"look in a beginner book" (such as piano adventures of bastien etc.)  is not an acceptable answer (i know they are full of this, and I can easily write my own in this manner), I want a good number of known melodies to work with if possible.

[theholygideons]

first few bars of rach 3, me thinks.

[ajspiano]

first few bars of rach 3, me thinks.

I forgot to say in a major key..  good call though.

[vladimir_gouldowsky]

Good major key pieces for beginners:

Chopin Op. 10 no 1, 7, 8.
Liszt Transcendental Etude 5 "Feux Follets"
Schumann Toccata
Schubert Wanderer Fantasy
Scriabin 42/6

[ajspiano]

Good major key pieces for beginners:

Chopin Op. 10 no 1, 7, 8.
Liszt Transcendental Etude 5 "Feux Follets"
Schumann Toccata
Schubert Wanderer Fantasy
Scriabin 42/6

I think you'll find they all modulate.

[dima_76557]

@ ajspiano

Not ideal, perhaps, but Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" is close to your requirements:
https://www.8notes.com/scores/10090.asp

[j_menz]

I think you'll find they all modulate.

And I believe they all have intervals greater than a third at times, so no bonus.

[ajspiano]

@ ajspiano

Not ideal, perhaps, but Beethoven's Ode to Joy is close to your requirements:
https://www.8notes.com/scores/10090.asp

Yes, it shows up in a few of my different beginner books because it does fit the closely within that basic mold. It will no doubt be one of the ones I end up using.

[vladimir_gouldowsky]

And I believe they all have intervals greater than a third at times, so no bonus.

Have you considered Moogorkssky's Pictures at an Exponential?

[j_menz]

Have you considered Moogorkssky's Pictures at an Exponential?

Have you considered upping your meds?

[vladimir_gouldowsky]

Have you considered upping your meds?

The only medicine I need are scales, arpeggios, and Bach.

[j_menz]

The only medicine I need are scales, arpeggios, and Bach.

A basic grammar book might also be useful.

[vladimir_gouldowsky]

A basic grammar book might also be useful.

Practicing whilst reading? A horribly antimusical approach to practice. 

[dima_76557]

Yes, it shows up in a few of my different beginner books because it does fit the closely within that basic mold. It will no doubt be one of the ones I end up using.

The requirement of intervals no more than a third is too strict a limitation, I think. Brahms has some nice melodies that would otherwise fit very well, for example his lullaby (Guten Abend, Gut' Nacht).

[ajspiano]

The requirement of intervals no more than a third is too strict a limitation, I think. Brahms has some nice melodies that would otherwise fit very well, for example his lullaby (Guten Abend, Gut' Nacht).

It would rapidly progress to allow wider, so I don't need heaps in that realm. Examples of that nature would be to help facilitate the initially development of interval based reading. There just needs to be something to work on in that area before placing higher demands on a total beginner.

[dima_76557]

It would rapidly progress to allow wider, so I don't need heaps in that realm. Examples of that nature would be to help facilitate the initially development of interval based reading. There just needs to be something to work on in that area before placing higher demands on a total beginner.

You could have a look into all the melodies that are based on the pentatonic scale, sometimes also called the "slave scale" (only black notes) and transpose them to your students' needs. Many negro-spirituals are based on this scale. Grieg's "Morning Mood" from Peer Gynt is pentatonic I believe.

[ajspiano]

Yeh thats a good idea dima, I've also been looking at ocarina repertoire this afternoon (range is only a 12th)

[j_menz]

Yeh thats a good idea dima, I've also been looking at ocarina repertoire this afternoon (range is only a 12th)

There are readily recognisable pieces for the Ocarina? 

[ajspiano]

There are readily recognisable pieces for the Ocarina? 

I dug more in the realm of readily recognisable tunes arranged for ocarina.

[dima_76557]

I've also been looking at ocarina repertoire this afternoon (range is only a 12th)

Harmonica tunes is also an option:
https://www.harmonicaclub.com/harmonica_tabs.htm

[pianoplunker]

Okay, readily recognizable melody or theme from any genre that falls within the range of a 9th - (bonus if that range sits as a 5th above and below the tonic) - does not modulate, and contains no chromatic passing notes, and is in a major key.

Ideally the melody can also be expressed using only crotchets, minims, dotted minims and semibreves, and as such is in 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4 time.. also ideally makes use of the full, or at least nearly the full range.

Additional bonus if you can come up with one that does not use an interval wider than a 3rd between each note.

Go.

Any piano repertoire in general that (nearly) fits the criteria is an acceptable and welcomed answer, such as the first sections of mikrokosmos or first term at the piano by bartok.

"look in a beginner book" (such as piano adventures of bastien etc.)  is not an acceptable answer (i know they are full of this, and I can easily write my own in this manner), I want a good number of known melodies to work with if possible.

Beethoven's 9th   ( the famous part  A Song of Joy)
Schubert-  Ave Maria
Bach and Beethoven minuets in G ( they only modulate a little )

Non-Classical :

Happy Birthday
Auld Lange Syne
Jingle Bells