In the Bible music and musical instruments were used to make Kings happy, calm them down, and even to frighten people.

The trumpets sounded before the army would go into a battle, and the harp of David would calm the King. The Timbrel was used in battles, for celebrations, and in dances. And the stringed instruments brought forth praise and worship in God's Temple.

Music was created by God to give Him glory, honor, and praise.

In this program we will learn about music, and the people in the Bible and the instruments they used. We will learn that music comes from the heart, and not just instruments and notes.

We will learn about melody and melody instruments, and rhythm and rhythm instruments. We will train the ear to talk to the heart, and the heart to talk to the fingers.

So let our journey begin.

The first Biblical instrument that we will craft is the Timbrel, or the Tambourine. The tambourine can be traced back to most ancient civilizations such as India, Greece, China, Egypt, and Rome. It is also the instrument on which Miriam played after the Israelites escaped from Egypt in Exodus 15:20. It was often associated with joy, dancing, rejoicing, victory, and times of happiness and gladness. " Praise Him with the Timbrel and the Harp"

The first instrument is a rhythm instrument.

Timbrel, Tambourines, Take large coffee can plastic lids collect them from people in the church or neighbors, let the children place stickers on the lids, punch holes in the lids, or you can have the children do it themselves if you have several punches,

Use pipe cleaners and large washers or small jingle type bells that you can purchase at any craft store or Walmart,Kmart. Tie the washers or bells, to the pipe cleaners through the punched hole.

This part of the lesson is important to relate the Biblical fact of the instrument from the Psalms. It is important that you stress that there is two ways a instrument you will use in class. You can also have the children paint or place stickers on them, and a ribbon. This craft can be modified by you or your staff. Foam plates also can be used for this craft. GLUE TWO foam plates together

1. A percussion or rhythm instrument

2. A instrument for melody

Keyboards for Christ Week One the timbrel Week one the timbrel and rhthym

The Element of RHYTHM

Pass out rubber balls if you have them ( You can get them at a local dollar store.) Have the children get in a circle and bounce the balls slow 4 times. Then a little faster. Have 1/2 the kids bounce the balls, and the other half clap their hands. Then change around. They clap with each bounce of the ball. So there is 4 claps.

A. Balls first ( The idea is to let the children realize that notes on the staff go up and down, flats and sharps go up and down, sound travels in waves up and down EXPLAIN to the children that the vibration that they feel on the ball is like SOUND. It is important that we teach the children how to hear but the difference between sound and music.)

B. Then Clap hands

C. Then strike the Timbrels

1 2 3 4 Hold ball again 1 2 3 4 Hold the ball. Have the children sit back down.

Ready to play the element of Rhythm with the hand crafted timbrels for this weeks class hands on time Timbrel and rhythm

clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap

Now lets use our Timbrels for each count or beat just like we clapped our hands.

This is an example of the timbrel that the children craft in this weeks first lesson of the program

We are incorporating both feel, sight, and sound. The balls are round, the clapping is rhythm(SOUND) and we are also introducing the children into an ensemble setting. Working together in Unity, Oneness.

In music we have a speed limit just like your mom and dad has to obey the laws when they drive their car. So some number go slower and other move faster. I recommend that you have an old alarm clock and wind it up and have the children listen to the tick. That is like the counts or beats in music, we keep time. Just as there is 60 seconds to a min in music we have to have counts or beats to what we call a measure.

Music speed limit sign picture taken by Dan Wheeler

Funny number 2 Funny number 4 Four counts

The keyboard In music this sign that tells us how fast or slow to play is two numbers located at the very first of the music. It is call a TIME SIGNATURE it looks just like a speed limit sign it is two numbers at the beginning of a song.

TAKE A HYMNAL and show the kids what a time signature looks like.

One of the most popular signs is 4 and the other one is 3.

Now take you Timbrel that you made and strike it FOUR times with your hand.

The timbrel

1 2 3 4

Now take your Timbrel that you made and strike it THREE times with your hand.

Therefore the time signature indicates that the beat is 1 2 3

Thank is called a beat. So if we strike it four times, the time is in what? ( They usually say 4) And if we strike it three times, the time is in what? ( 3) Do not yet explain about the bottom number in a time signature. This lesson is simply to have them understand what beat is and to associate the number of beats. After this is done, play four notes on a keyboard or piano the number 1 (C) and tell the children to play along with you on their timbrels. Tell them to hit their timbrels with each note you play. Ready begin C C C C

Hand crafted timbrel from this weeks lesson

Notice how the C below get different (Speeds) or beats The first one gets just ONE the second C gets TWO the third one gets THREE and the fourth one gets FOUR

C (1) C (2) C (3) C (4)

Praise him with the timbrel Hand crafted timbrel from this weeks lesson 1

Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap

Have the children tap their crafted timbrels once, then two times, then three times, then four

THE NOTE VALUES will be introduced in the upcoming lesson, so don't even talk about note values at this time. We must first build up the fact that there is TIME in music and to stress 4 and 3.

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