Yukie Smith

Fun with Morse Code Rhythms for piano Yukie Smith

This book is a collection of short rhythmic tunes for piano using Morse code style notation. It's aimed at the early elementary to early intermediate level. Each tune is represented by the hand position on the piano and finger numbers linked with the given Morse code rhythms. Eliminating the use of traditional musical notation means that players can focus on learning some catchy rhythms and stylish articulations/phrasing that most beginners won't come across until they reach the late elementary level. It also gives players an opportunity to explore various tonalities and metres, and to experiment with dynamic shaping. The tunes in this book are of varying length from 4 to 14 bars. They are repetitive so that players learn about the usefulness of repeated short musical ideas in music. The ideas in this book can be extended to be used as a tool to set a motif for a composition. In my piano studio, these Morse code tunes have become a cornerstone of the rhythmic and aural exercises to improve my students' overall piano playing skills. The book is suited for any age group, from younger to older students.