Want the Jaws Theme Song?
Try Sharks!
Jaws theme song look-a-like "Sharks" will remind your students of the scary movie theme.
Now with two "alphanote" versions, students can learn this easy piano music as soon as they can recognize Middle C and B.
What are "AlphaNotes"?
Sheet music with letters! Instead of music notes flash cards, use these note reading "worksheets" for help in learning musical notes.
Scroll down the page for the free downloadable PDF links:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
This free kids' sheet music is often the first piece I give my students for which they must actually read notes on the bass staff, instead of just using finger numbers (such as with "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or the black-key songs at the beginning of The Faber Piano Adventure Primer).
Slow and scary!
Put expression into this song...
When I introduce it, I like to play it very low on the piano, with lots of expression.
It begins slowly with the ominous sound of a half-step, then picks up a little speed in line two.
This definitely makes it sound like the Jaws theme song! When I get to the skip from C to A, I always give each "A" a bit of a push, to accentuate the unexpectedness of the melodic twist.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Invariably students' eyes widen as they feel the mood!
But start slow
Don't let THEM speed it up, though! At least not until the counting is well in hand.
The metronome is very helpful with this piece, which can start to race and get out of control. Singing the words steadies the tempo, and if you sing along with it, your student will likely join in (if he or she can read).
Turn note-reading into a game
I like to tell my beginning music readers that there are 4 A's "hiding" in the song, which are tricky to find.
Then we hunt for them on the page. On their lesson sheet, I also write "Find the 4 A's". This makes for more careful (and fun) note-reading.
With articulation marks
Here is the second new alphanotes arrangement, greatly edited to show how to add drama to this scary little piece:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Help them master the expressiveness
Because this piece has some built-in emotional elements -- the scariness of the back-and-forth half-steps -- this song makes using dynamics seem natural.
And guess what? They almost always LOVE this piece and make it a part of their repertoire.
It has even been heard at recitals (only in a pinch, when I have a VERY VERY new student who wants to be in the recital).
A little improvisation
Depart from the music a bit.
Encourage them to play it "down" a couple of octaves once they know it well.
With a sweep of my hand over the piano company name (which is always painted on the fall-board) and down onto the keys just below the name, I always remind them that of course it is WRITTEN at Middle C, B and A.
Indicating that spot on the piano, I then show them how eerie and atmospheric Sharks becomes when played down lower on the keyboard...
Only 3 notes to worry about
With "Sharks," students only have to think about one hand -- the left hand (the least-coordinated hand for most kids), and only three notes -- A, B, and MC.
Say the note names aloud
Turn this into an additional assignment.
In fact, after the first or second week, when they SHOULD be feeling pretty confident with the Jaws theme song, I would likely make it a part of their assignment to SAY THE NOTE NAMES ALOUD as they play the piece.
But I usually ask them to do that just 1x -- one time -- a day, and then play it normally after that, if they wish.
Playing piano is like juggling
The reason it's like juggling is that it can be very hard for beginners to do more than one thing at a time, particularly young boys, and I don't want them to be frustrated and avoid practicing the piece altogether!
One time is not too much to ask... eventually, saying and thinking note names will start to become more natural.
So why didn't it sound good at home?
Don't be too surprised if they come back the next week disappointed, having played it in the wrong location all week and thereby having been cheated of the ominous sounds of the Jaws theme song...
This is very common and just means they need more reinforcement of piano key names.
Really learning those key names
A good exercise is to have them "Dip Donuts" one time a day going up and down the piano on just one of the keys..."B", for example, every day all week. Then next week, make it a different key.
Likely you have a favorite exercise which works well for you. Seem too easy? Hah!
Then move on to the black keys: going right up the piano with one hand, have them say aloud "F#, F#, F#..." going back down the piano with the other hand, moving left, have them say "Gb, Gb, Gb..."
What's necessary for your student's success
For this little song to come easily, a student needs to have 3 things well in hand:
- the musical alphabet forwards and backwards ("A-B-C-D-E-F-G; G-F-E-D-C-B-A!"),
- a firm grasp of where the keys are ("B is the BACK DOOR of Grandma's house", for English speakers),
- an understanding and recognition of beginning notereading (B sits on top of the bass staff) -- oh, 4 things!
- They also need to count! So you see, there is a degree of sophistication necessary to conquer even to this simple piece.
This song, even creepier...
By the way, a much better, slower and creepier rendition of the Jaws theme song is the movie trailer, available at Youtube.
The full creepiness of the song comes across, but I just couldn't bring myself to post it here, because the images are so disturbing (I'm pretty old-school when it comes to violence).
Have fun with the Jaws theme stand-in, Sharks!
The links to the Jaws music:
Download Sharks with lettered notes
Download free kids' sheet music Sharks plain (Jaws theme song)
Download dramatic version of Sharks (which also has lettered notes)
More 5-finger songs at Music-for-Music-Teachers:
Cat Came Back (easiest version) - with fun-to-sing lyrics, many verses!
Erie Canal - Part I has only 5 notes, but is a satisfying introduction to this song
God is So Good - a sweet melody with sweet words
Jingle Bells - every child knows this one
Mary Had a Little Lamb - a song with many uses!
Ode to Joy, the famous tune by Beethoven
Pizza Please (Hot Cross Buns) - 3 notes, arranged for each hand
Sharks (3 notes, for left hand) - this is like the Jaws theme song
Snake Charmer - with fun lyrics and a mysterious minor melody
Tarantelle - the spider dance, with silly lyrics about tarantulas
When the Saints Go Marching In - with several arrangements!
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All the first-year material I give my beginner students.
Piano keyboard sheets, scales, chords, note-reading exercises, and over 256 pages of music!
This beautiful song book for piano & voice "Esther, For Such a Time as This", available as a digital download, tells the riveting story of the time when Jews in ancient Persia faced a foe named Haman, and how a brave young queen risked her life to save her people.
A good choice for a singing story-teller, an operatic group, a short theater production, or a class of children!
This book is also available from Amazon as a paperback.
This book is available as a digital download from this site. Visit this page to see some free examples from the book.
It is also available from Amazon as a paperback!
This is the perfect easy start for little pianists.
And when they start reading white-key notes on the staff, this is a fun easy resource to say each week, "Choose a new black-key song at home this week and figure it out to show me next lesson!" They will be spending more time at the piano.
A perfect read aloud storybook
for little boys or girls.
The Adventures of Tonsta highlight the travels of a very young boy with a good heart, who goes about helping folk in trouble.
With a red cap on his head and a sack of tools slung over his shoulder, Tonsta seems to meet people in distress wherever he goes.
Lots of trolls in this book - including one who gives him a Christmas gift!
Rod:
What an amazing site. Thank you for your labor of love. Made a very small donation. Cheers
Kitana:
Hi! I'm teaching my little brother to play the piano and this is really helpful.
Anna Lee:
What a fabulous website! I've been a keen amateur piano player since I first learnt 56 years ago at the age of 8.
I now have a three year old granddaughter and am hoping fervently that she'll want to learn - at which point I'll teach her. This is just the kind of resource I'll need to make it comprehensible. Thank you very much.
Comments
Do you have a funny story about this music, or does it remind you of something you'd like to share with other readers? Do you have a question? I'd love to hear it!
Please note that all comments are moderated, and will not appear until I have approved them. Also, IF YOU ARE ASKING FOR MUSIC THAT IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, YOUR REQUEST WILL BE IGNORED. That's pretty much any music written in the last 75 years...
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About the Author
Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
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