How to read 2 octaves of music notes in 6 weeks! [Using Muso Flash Cards]

If you have bought a set of Muso Music Flash Cards to help with your or your child/student’s sight reading skills, but feel lost on how to use them, then it probably means you didn’t see our white instruction cards: General Teaching Methods & Practice Guide (Timeline).

But don’t fret, we will teach you now!

Before we continue with our blog, we want to invite our Muso Flash Card holders to join our 'Muso-Method App Family' Facebook group: Click here

First of all, why are Muso Flash Cards different to the other music flash cards?

1. Our flashcards are durable CARD material. Muso Flashcards are actually made out of splash-proof and BPA free cardboard using Vegan ink - to minimise ripping, folding and scrunching that young kids especially seem to like. This sets us apart from the other music flash “cards,” which seem to be just pieces of paper you can get from your own home office.
2. Each set comes with a protective BOX. Wow! So it’s not just an elastic band or a weird flimsy cover like the other music flash card sets? I have a way to store it neatly now? Life changing.
3. Our flashcards' colour palette make it look like a game. The other flash card sets look boring and too ‘educational’. Brighter colours are more attractive and we once did a test by playing our Muso Flash Cards in a random kids’ room and voila! Many kids actually reached out for the Muso Flash Cards and expressed interest.
4. Each set comes with two rings for you to separate your flash cards! We recommend leaving unlearnt flash cards in the box, then separating the flash cards into two different piles (with the key rings). One is the “good” pile, the other is the “not so good”. That way, each day when you practice your flash cards you tackle and spend more time on the “not so good” pile first, then revising quickly on the “good” pile.
5. Our Muso note flashcards actually come with straightforward TIPS on how to help your child understand the notes, without needing a music teacher. Please note we do NOT use any acronyms to confuse our toddler, young, high school or even adult students. To be most effective, less is more and repeat exactly what our note flash cards say.

See how much “longer” and “more confusing” it is when you add “extra weird words”. What does a boy have to do with music? What does fruit have to do with music notes? Nothing. Don’t confuse music students of any age - even adults get confused! Although these acronyms may have worked for you, I can guarantee you it works for only 1/10 students who are English literate. Our Muso-Method is universal and focuses on numbers, rather than English acronyms.

This is confusing because the “space” the kids are learning at that age is “outerspace” or for adults the “spacebar”. Notice how you had to explain what “space” was when the same result could have been done by just saying:

F is between Lines 1 and 2. 

Now that we have gone through the basics, how do we learn 2 octaves of notes in 6 weeks?

When a music student learns classical music, it’s always best to learn piano first before learning the other family instruments. This way, if your child decides to get serious about their non-piano instrument in high school or music conservatory, they won’t struggle with music theory which requires knowledge of 4 octaves music notes. But in this blog, we will focus on just 2 octaves.

This is why for music notes, you do not need to learn music notes that correspond to your beginner music books or your non-instrument beginner music books either. It is unrelated.

Now, let’s set a weekly routine.

Daily practice (20 to 30mins) (i.e. the way you practice or learn classical music) should be separate into two categories: Technical Work & Pieces/Songs. If you are learning with kids, we recommend calling Daily Practice “Music Games” or “Piano Games time!”

So in other words for kids, the weekly routine is:

Daily practice usually starts with Technical Work (10 to 15mins) and then Pieces/Songs (10 to 15mins). Please note for instruments like Violin especially, the so-called “Pieces” you learn are more like exercises that focuses on technique (bowing). 

For Muso Flash Cards, we will say it is part of Technical Work and should take from 5 to 10mins, depending how efficient you work (i.e. straightforward descriptions, repetition, less explanations).

• Week 1 - Learn new cards: Treble Clef, Bass Clef, Middle CDE
• Week 2 - Revise Treble Clef, Bass Clef, Middle CDE. Learn new cards: Treble Clef FG
• Week 3 - Revise previous cards. Learn new cards: Treble Clef ABC
• Week 4 - Revise previous cards. Learn new cards: Bass Clef CBA
• Week 5 - Revise previous cards. Learn new cards: Bass Clef GF
• Week 6 - Revise previous cards. Learn new cards: Bass Clef EDC

General Teaching Methods for Muso Lesson days (and sometimes Daily Practice sessions):

As a standard for all our General Teaching Methods, please use the concept:  “I Do, We Do, You Do.”

If kids need hints, actions or questions to help recall the answer, we call this: “Prompts.” Prompts are very important because it avoids the parent or teacher giving the student the answer straight away.

Teaching Method #1: Say and Repeat

Teaching Method #2: Say, Play & Explain

Sometimes, your child might forget to explain. So if they forget, just simply ask them WHY? This is a PROMPT.

Another Example:

Teaching Method #3: Compare & Explain

Daily Practice Flash Card Games to Play:

Each card the Learner gets correct is 1 point. If they don’t get it correct, the Parent/Teacher gets 1 point.

Game #1: Sequence. Shuffle cards randomly and ask Learner to put them back in order (useful for rhythm cards, note cards).

Game #2: Treasure Hunt. Scatter 5 to 8 cards around the room and ask Learner to find the cards, say the answer and play the note.

Game #3: 3 Second Challenge. Shuffle the cards, show it to Learner and Learner has to say, play & explain in 3 seconds.

Game #4: Spin, Froggy Jump & Chicken Dance. There are 3 levels to this game. Shuffle the cards, show it to Learner.

• Level 1: Learner has to Spin first, then say, play & explain the card.
• Level 2: Learner has to Spin & Froggy Jump, before say, play & explain the card.
• Level 3 [boss level]: Learner has to Spin, Froggy Jump & Chicken Dance, before say, play & explain the card.

Muso2Six Challenge! 

If you need more help, don't worry because our Muso-Method App will be launching on 8 April with our FREE Muso2Six Challenge*.

#MUSO2SIX is challenging all Muso's to learn/revise 2 octaves of music notes in SIX weeks. Join our Facebook group. Click here

*Free for Muso Flash Card holders

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Written by piano teacher and entrepreneur Isabelle Ng, co-founder of Muso Music Academy, Muso Music Publishing and designer of the Muso Music Flash Cards. Isabelle's mission with Muso is to help the world learn classical music in a fun and serious way.