Lesson 3: Basic Notes and Fingerings

How do you change the pitch on your instrument?
Which fingers or slide positions produce which notes?

note, pitch, fingering, slide position, scale, ledger lines

NAfME 1.5 – Perform simple melodic patterns using proper fingerings or slide positions
NAfME 1.6 – Identify and play basic notes on a staff

Students begin reading simple music and producing different pitches, building toward playing songs.

Students may confuse fingerings or slide positions for different notes.
Students may assume louder sounds correspond to higher notes.

Use color-coded fingerings for beginners.
Advanced students can play simple two-note patterns or short melodies.

• Individual check of correct notes and fingerings.

• Simple performance of a one-octave scale.