Music Books

[tmstranger]

This year, we've been using the Venezia books and Confessions of a Homeschooler's composer study plans.  My kids tolerate it as a necessary evil (they know we HAVE to teach something for music, but not their favorite subject). 

 

Oldest ds asked if we could study someone "better, like Newsboys."  I would love to study more recent artists if that would interest them more. 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions/resources you've liked for studying more current musicians? 

[tmstranger]

hmmm...so, what *do* you use for music?  We tried the R&S music one year and didn't like it.  The composer study has gone better, but we'll need more and more resources as the years go on. (it is required in my state)

 

Do most families do composer studies?  Play instruments?  Learn music theory?  What other options am I missing?

[Guest]

I suppose you could study the history of rock (which would be more along the lines of Newsboys), history of jazz - general survey type courses.  If you are looking to do a comparative study, you'd probably want a fair bit of theory as well.  Maybe you could tie music into history: folk music from around the world, old spirituals, any ramifications of white men leading jazz bands, what type of music was being played/composed during major historical events and so on. Just throwing ideas out there :) There's a book at my library called the Science of Music - covers pitch, sound waves, strings....including making simple instruments.

 

DS just does theory and instrument lessons - less thinking for me :)

Edited March 25, 2016 by WendyAndMilo