Ever want to lead your students in singing, “Happy Birthday” or play the Jeopardy jingle while giving them time to come up with an answer? This tip features a couple of web tools that will transform your computer keyboard (or interactive whiteboard) into a piano keyboard!
I’m providing a couple of different websites with virtual keyboards. You can experiment and see which one works best for you.
Virtual Piano Keyboard tools:
or
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/guitar.htm
Basic Instructions:
- Go to one of the tools listed above.
- Play notes in one of three ways:
a. Click the on-screen keys with your mouse.
b. Touch the on-screen keys on your interactive whiteboard.
c. Press the home-row keys on your computer keyboard.
Songs to Try:
Happy Birthday:
Computer keyboard:
a a s a f d
a a s a g f
a a k h f d s
u u h f g f
Piano (on-screen) keyboard:
C C D C F E
C C D C G F
C C C1 A F E D
Bb Bb A F G F
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Jeopardy:
Computer Keyboard:
g k g a g k g
g k g k ; l k j h y
g k g a g k g
k h g f d s a
Piano (on-screen) Keyboard:
G C1 G C G C1 G
G C1 G C1 E1 D1 C1 B A G#
G C1 G C G C1 G
C1 A G F E D C
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Alphabet Song or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Ba Ba Black Sheep
Computer Keyboard:
a a g g h h g
f f d d s s a
g g f f d d s
g g f f d d s
a a g g h h g
f f d d s s a
Piano (on-screen) Keyboard:
C C G G A A G
F F E E D D C
G G F F E E D
G G F F E E D
C C G G A A G
F F E E D D C
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Computer Keyboard:
a a a s d
d s d f g
k k g g d d a a
g f d s a
Piano (on-screen) Keyboard:
C C C D E
E D E F G
C1 C1 G G E E C C
G F E D C
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Mary Had A Little Lamb
Computer Keyboard:
j h g h j j j
h h h j l l
j h g h j j j j
h h j h g
Piano (on-screen) Keyboard:
B A G A B B B
A A A B D1 D1
B A G A B B B B
A A B A G
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Farmer In the Dell
Computer Keyboard:
c f f f f f
g h h h h h
k k l k h f
g h h g g f
Piano (on-screen) Keyboard:
C F F F F F
G A A A A A
C1 C1 D1 C1 A F
G A A G G F
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Eensy, Weensy Spier
Computer Keyboard:
a f f f g h h
h g f g h f
h h u k k u h u k h
f f g h h g f g h f
a a f f f g h h
h g f g h f
Piano (on-screen) Keyboard:
C F F F G A A
A G F G A F
A A Bb C1 C1 Bb A Bb C1 A
F F G A A G F G A F
C C F F F G A A
A G F G A F
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
I’ve also created some printable cards for the songs to make it easier to look and play at the same time:
If you have ideas for using a virtual keyboard in the classroom, please add a comment below. Also – if you have requests for additional songs, let me know and I’ll try my best to provide the notes/keys for you.
Thank you so much for the song “recipes.” I teach 3rd grade and I use them to teach my students the home row keys on the computer keyboard. Each student looks at the printed song recipe and they play the song together (hopefully using the right fingers on the right keys) as I direct them. It is a lot of fun!