CD-1, "Lullabies", would be played for infants especially. Most of the songs employ two or three syllables; some songs have words of comfort as well. A few songs near the end of the CD have religious content. CD-1 should be widely marketed without a word about the teaching method. CD-1 is the 'hook'. If the other CDs are marketed with reference to the teaching method, this first CD should be marketed on the basis of its beauty. The finest recording should be made. Radio airplay should be sought out. This will be the most tonally advanced of the five recordings, employing the pentatonic and six note scales typical of folk music. The 'lullaby principle' in these songs reinforces the awareness in the child's mind of a 'pitch grid' of similar intervals at different pitch levels, especially beneficial as a teaching principle in infancy, the 'inundation' stage of the child's development. It is helpful not only for the child to hear this recording, but also to hear the mother's own voice softly singing along with the recording. The enclosed music book will provide the mother with the opportunity to follow the songs and sing them while holding or comforting the child. The mother would thus be the child's first music teacher. Even if the mother can't sing very well, the child's first association of music with comfort and affection is itself profoundly instructive. CD-1 will be sold by mail order without any mention of sheet music. The parent's music-book, will be offered as a follow-up. The parents we want most to buy the recording are those who would not do so if any mention were made of them singing along and reading music! We hope that they will be surprised to learn how easy it is to learn with this music. We want to expand the music-reader market beyond its cultural borders. However the recording is sold, we want to get parents on the mailing list for follow up recordings and books.
CD-2, "Teaching Your Child", would be played for toddlers and preschoolers. CD-2 begins very simply, with short phrases using two pitches- the minor third or 'children's interval'. The 'singing ear' begins here. Each phrase is repeated several times. Using two hand signs, as shown with the book or video, "Teaching Your Child", the parent can help the child to mentally repeat the pitches on the whispered repeats. This 'mental hearing' precedes singing in the toddler's mental development and prepares for it. This first section of the CD ends with a longer song combining these short phrases. Sections two and three of CD-2 gradually add more pitches. Playing the later portions of the recording more and more, and the former portions of the recording less and less, over several years, will develop the child's ear progressively. As the child gets older, the parent or music teacher can point under the notes for the child in the book. As of this writing, CD-2 is the only CD that has been finished and is being marketed with its book.
CD-3 "Logan and the Animals", is a musical story. It teaches high and low pitch using the minor third. Logan is addressed by various characters singing:
....."Hi Lo, Hi!"......"Hi, hi, hi!"......"Hi, . . . Lo!" ........."Lo, Lo, Lo!"
. . . C...A...C . . . . . C...C...C . . . . C.........A
. . . . . . . A....A....A
The parent is to point under the notes in the illustrated storybook.
CD-4 "Hans Visits the Woodworkers", is a musical story. It teaches high and low pitch using the minor third. Hans watches various characters at work singing phrases that reflect the rhythm of their tasks. The parent is to point under the notes in the illustrated storybook.
CD-5 "Rhymes", are songs about growing up. The CD comes with a book that the child will read out of later with the recording. Though the songs have words, a kindergarten teacher will later use these songs for teaching rote singing and then note reading with Da-di syllables. The Da-di patterns in the songs are reflected in the white and black notes, making them easy to recognize when the children begin to read music in the later part of their kindergarten year.
The music for these recordings is already composed. The teaching method cannot be promoted in its fullest form, nor reach its fullest potential, until the recordings are made and the illustrations are completed for the storybooks that accompany CDs 3 and 4. Funding is needed. Can someone help?
Follow up books for music teachers:
finished- teacher-book for first grade: T-1 "Stand, Middle, Sit!" in progress- class-book C-1 "Stand, Middle, Sit!" in progress- home-book H-1 "Level Songs" (homework with CD-6)
in progress- teacher-book for second grade: T-2 "Singing Well!"
in progress- class-book C-2 "Singing Well!"
in progress- home-book H-2 "Fun Songs" (homework with CD-7)
teacher-book for third grade: T-3 "Advanced Singing"
class-book C-3 "Advanced Singing"
home-book H-3 "Great Songs" (homework with CD-8)
Books for piano teachers in progress:
The Da-di Piano Method, book one
The Da-di Piano Method, book two
These are songs that can be sung "Da-di" (white-black) as well as played by young children.
Possible DVD Titles:
"Up and Down" (hand signs and animated pitch notation, even for infants)
"The Rhythm Clown" (slaps the knees for notes and claps for rests while seated; animated notation overhead)
"Logan and the Animals" (animated cartoon with animated pitch notation)
"Hans Visits the Woodworkers" (animated cartoon with work-rhythms synchronized with the songs and with animated pitch notation)
Also envisioned within the entire line of "Da-di Songs" are CDroms that use interactive technology to grade progress in pitch and music notation awareness.
