Music Education Tools
Free Printable Sheets

Music education tools such as

  • free printable guitar chord charts, 
  • piano scales, 
  • printable music notes, 
  • piano keyboards, 
  • free guitar tablature and staff paper, 
  • flashcards, 
  • advice, and more!

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Piano Teaching Tools

Guitar Teaching Tools

Singing Warm-Ups & Vocalises

Vocal Teaching Tips

General Teaching Strategies


These pages have been student-tested; I use all these pages myself in my teaching.

Piano Teaching Tools

Key of C scales, chords, inversions, & arpeggios

12 Major Scales and Chords for Piano

All the major keys, with one and two-octave scales, arpeggios, chord inversions, & primary chords

12 Minor Scales and Chords for Piano: Natural minor, Harmonic minor, & Melodic minor

These pages are organized just like the major keys, above, but are minor.

Scales, chords, & inversions with lettered notes for beginners

Basic Piano Chords & Scales

Like the regular scales page for the key of C, but with lettered notes for beginners

Best Piano Books

Best Piano Books!

Not a long list, this page discusses the method books and supplementary music that I keep coming back to, and even rely on

A piano lesson - student and teacher

Choosing a Piano Teacher - HOW?

Simple tips that will help you in your search for a qualified piano instructor

Chord inversions exercise for piano students

Chord Inversions for Piano

A new page, with more sheets to come!

Chord inversions are pretty difficult, but they are SO IMPORTANT for gaining facility sightreading & playing classical music.

Flashcards for treble and bass clef notes, with dashed lines to facilitate cutting out

Free Printable Flashcards 

With dashed lines to help you cut the cards out; treble and bass clef cards

Giant flashcards for piano

Giant Flashcards

Perfect for game-time for your younger musicians!

You will have to cut each page in half after printing...

Hanon

A guest post on how best to use Hanon piano exercises, and some cautions to beware of.

Reading a music staff sheet

Jumping Fleas

Practicing recognizing the difference between steps and skips (thirds) can be fun!

Musical intervals for sightreading

Leaping Kangaroos

Intervals of 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, and 7ths are a game of hide-and-seek for your students.

This sheet is about interval recognition, not note identification.

I-IV-V chord exercises that sound like rock music "Louie Louie"

Louie Louie  I, IV, V Chords

Sounding like real music, this chord pattern is FUN and teaches kids the relationships spatially and aurally of "the three main chords".

Metronome exercises for piano students - sheet music

Metronome Exercise Pieces

Contributed by fellow composer Kate Emht of Missouri.

Click on the link above to be taken to her page.

Jingle Bells sheet music for piano, with note names inside the note heads for beginners.

Note-Naming Worksheets

These pages of actual music with names in the note heads will be very encouraging to your beginning players, and increase their repertoire!

Just space notes on the grand staff - note reading sheets

Note-Reading Worksheets

These pages are large grand staffs and single staffs with note-heads placed on them for reference, or for guessing!

Piano chord patterns for young players

Piano Chord Patterns

Broken chords are very important for beginning pianists, once they have the finger coordination.

Plus, they are very pretty and satisfying to play!

Piano Keyboard Diagrams

Several different keyboards to print and keep for your brand-new students., and to write all over!

Piano keyboards to print out on paper - 3 different kinds

Piano Party!

Plan something fun for your students.

They need to get together, and making music is a good reason to do it!

Learning piano chords by how they look - showing the black and white keys.

Printable Piano Chord Chart for learning major and minor chords

A page of little circles, white and black, that give a visual representation of how the chords LOOK. 

All white notes?  A "snowman" chord.  Black note in the middle? A "hamburger" chord, with white buns and a burger in the middle.

Then we have Oreo cookies, or ice cream sandwiches...

Beginning scales to shape the hand

Piano Scales Sheet Music for Beginners, with letters

The letters inside the note heads of these scales make understanding so much easier.  These scales help little beginners shape their hands correctly.

Note reading activities for piano students

Reading Piano Music - note reading difficulties

Ideas for when your students don't seem to understand

The Reluctant Learner and beginning piano lessons

Tips for teaching a challenging child, especially a young one.

Rote Learning for Music Teaching

It's OKAY sometimes to show kids how to play a song bit by bit, without reading a piece of music - it can even be an EXCITING BREAK from routine!

Note reading practice

Snakes

Creeping from one key to the next... which way is the snake going?

Help your student focus on note direction on the musical staff.

Staff paper PDFs to print

Staff Paper PDFs

Lots of different kinds of staffs for writing on, including some GIANT-SIZED ones for little hands

Double Double Toil and Trouble piano sheet music

Studio Favorite - currently!

This 2-page solo or duet (part of a Halloween suite) has the same melody as "Zombies Everywhere," a free piece of sheet music, but "Double Double Toil & Trouble" is greatly preferred by my students.

It must be the rhetorical renderings of the bard, Shakespeare, and the vision of the witches on the moor muttering over their cauldron, in the play "Macbeth"!

Piano music for beginners The Lake Pirates

Studio Favorite (last year, The Lake Pirates)

Yes, last year!  This changes from time to time... 

Dear me, I must say that at the most recent recital, we had THREE renditions of this piece, all played by boys (and spaced as far apart as I could manage). 

The audience had just about learned the song themselves by the time the recital was over!

Super Teacher worksheets - Schmitt exercises

Super Teacher Worksheets

Some of Aloys Schmitt's exercises - see some creative ways to use these finger exercises.  These are great for finger technique and transposing! 

reading notes on sheet music

Wormies

The first note-reading practice my students use.

Up? Or down?

This sheet will test your student's understanding.


Guitar Teaching Tools

Free printable flashcards for guitar

Free printable flashcards for guitar

These are all in treble clef.

The flashcards go all the way down to open string 6, a ledger line note.


Little chords (3-4 strings only)

Beginner Guitar Chords

Small chords, just 3 or 4 strings.

Perfect for small hands.  

This page may be all the chords you need for several months.

A and Am chords for guitar, shown on fret-boards

Big Guitar Chord Charts

VERY LARGE, just 2 chords shown per page.

These really help beginners grasp fret-boards.

Chord families - the chords that always go together.

Guitar Chord Families 

Lots of charts showing the chords that "go together"!

Print out the keys from A  major to G major.

Sheet of blank fretboard charts for guitar chords

Guitar Chord Charts, Blank

These are what you need if you want to make custom chords for your students - or maybe test their understanding by having them draw chords in!

Guitar tablature notes compared to piano staff notation

Guitar Tablature / Piano "Tablature" Staff Guide

These two charts show guitar tablature below the corresponding treble clef staff notes. 

One chart is just "white keys"; the other chart shows the sharps & flats as well.

Guitar tablature paper - many sizes!

Guitar Tablature, Blank

Lots of different size tablature papers for your own melodies or exercises. 

You and your students will find some that you can use!

Reluctant Learner

Tips for a challenging child



Singing Warm-Ups & Vocalises 

Vocal warm ups that sound like animals

Animal Sounds Vocal Warm-Ups

Using the resonance found in puppy dog whimpers, a cat's meow, a mosquito's whine, and the very different feelings and sounds of a gorilla hoot and a panting dog, these warmups are highly useful for beginning singers.

Vocal Warm-Ups for Morning

Easy warm-ups that move mostly by small steps.

Gentle for the morning.

Vocal warm ups to sing through the break

Vocal Warm-Ups for Singing Through the Break

Help your students learn how to pass through the "danger zone" where abrupt sounds disrupt the smoothness of a vocal line.

Vocal exercises for developing resonance in the beginning singer's voice

Vocalises for Beginners Which Encourage Resonance

Get that sound up in "the mask"!

Singing warm up for adjusting to the sound of a new key

Singing Vocal Technique for Finding a New Key/Tonality

Using intervals of thirds and fourths, and harmony, help students memorize the sounds of moving up and down by half steps.


Vocal Teaching Tips

Lesson sheet for possible first singing lesson

How to Teach Voice if You are a Beginning Teacher

Getting started; a lesson sheet to give you ideas if you are new to teaching voice.

Teaching Singing to Elementary Students

A question-and-answer page, with a list of specific techniques

Teaching young singers

Teaching Young Singers Who Can't Yet Read

What do you DO with little ones who want to sing, but can't read notes or even their own language yet?


General Teaching Strategies & Assistance

Autism and Music

Wondering how to approach teaching children on the spectrum? 

Read about my own experience, and many others' ideas too.

Beautiful Music

Feed children's longings for Truth & Beauty

Pride and Prejudice movie music

Best Piano Books

In my experience, these books & music sheets reliably pull students along, offering satisfying and even beautiful music.

A piano lesson - student and teacher

Choosing a Piano Teacher - HOW?

Simple tips that will help you in your search for a qualified piano instructor

A piano book for left hand alone

Left Hand or Right Hand Only - One Hand Alone

Students with one hand may need music written just for them

MusicLink Foundation

Assist needy students through this fund

piano-party-girls-playing-smaller-tinyjpg.jpg

Party Time!

Plan a time when your students can get together & perform for each other, every now & then, without the pressure of an adult audience.

Games not necessary - they will make their own!

Reading Piano Music - note reading difficulties

Different ways to approach reading notes, when your students are stuck

Reluctant Learner

Tips for a challenging child

Rote Learning for Music Teaching

It's OKAY sometimes to show kids how to play a song bit by bit, without reading a piece of music.  Help them look for patterns.

Staff paper PDFs for all kinds of needs

Staff Paper PDFs

Many sizes and kinds of staff paper.

Big and little; with clef symbols and without.

Little girl playing with blocks

Teaching Autistic Children

Some general guidelines, gleaned from many teachers.


Children playing with a large globe

Where Can I Find a Teacher?

"My child has autism; do you know of a teacher experienced with autism and music?"

I get this question a lot from parents anxious to give their son or daughter with autism music lessons.

Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!

Recent Articles

  1. Gospel Song Jesus Loves Me: Beginner & Easy Piano, Plus Lead Sheets!

    Song Jesus Loves Me
    Gospel song "Jesus Loves Me" is well-known to many children. Here are easy arrangements to learn the music & each word to Jesus Loves Me, for early piano.

    Read More

  2. Easy Piano Sheet Music Swan Lake -Beginners & Intermediate Pianists!

    Swan Lake easy piano music
    Easy piano sheet music Swan Lake, lovely solos & duets, with lyrics in the beginner arrangements for dreamy students who love imagining. New arrangements!

    Read More

  3. The Wellerman Sheet Music: Easy Piano & Lead Sheets!

    Guitar tabs for Wellerman
    The Wellerman: Tabs, sheet music & lyrics for piano, guitar, & more! Such a fun, high-energy song to sing & play - learn it fast with letters in the notes!

    Read More

  4. Christmas Carol Lyrics Song from the Bible: Free SATB and Guitar Tab

    Christmas story song
    Christmas carol lyrics from the Bible and an old-fashioned carol-like tune combine in this free Christmas song for SATB choir or a solo vocalist with guitar.

    Read More

  5. Traditional Irish Song "Galway Piper" with 3 Piano Arrangements!

    Irish song
    Traditional Irish songs tend to be either bouncy, or tender & sweet. Galway Piper falls into the bouncy, fun-to-play camp!

    Read More

Interested in songs from the Bible for your students or church?  Check out my other website, SingTheBibleStory.com!

SingTheBibleStory.com clickable logo link

Songs Old & Songs New

All the first-year material I give my beginner students. 

Piano keyboard sheets, scales, chords, note-reading exercises, and over 256 pages of music!

The Story of Esther - a Bible opera!

Queen Esther in the Bible

This beautiful song book for piano & voice "Esther, For Such a Time as This",  available as a digital downloadtells 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.


Just the Black Keys, a piano song book for young beginners.

Just the Black Keys

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.

The Adventures of Tonsta, Volume 1, is a book about a young boy travelling over mountains and fjords from village to village, encountering trolls and helping folk in distress.

The Adventures of Tonsta

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!

Available at Amazon

Kate:
Thanks again for your wonderful website and all your fabulous support!! Your website really has been the best resource that I have found for finding that 'right piece' for the students. 

A Dozen a Day piano exercises for beginners music book

Ruth:
Thanks, Dana, for your excellent customer service.

Amber:
Thank you! THANK YOU!!! For keeping the beautiful art of Opera alive! I stumbled upon this site and I'm so happy I did!

Church choir warm-ups music book

Kim in Washington:
My son is hooked...I've been introducing piano to my son on and off for a year or so, but he's not had much interest. Then I gave him "Monsters Everywhere". He loved playing it with the organ sound on our piano. He memorized it that week and I'm printing off the other Halloween songs to keep him going. I love the detailed instructions on teaching since he is my first student! Thanks so much.
Dana:
That is so neat that your son has experienced the magic and mystery of music through this little song. That is so exciting to me! Thanks for writing, Kim!

Bluegrass Complete music book for guitar

Matt:
THIS SITE IS AMAZING!!
I've been teaching guitar for about 5 years now, and I've only just found your website! (I could really have used it 5 years ago) :-)  

I teach at primary schools every week day for about 4 hours, so the beginner tabs you have are ideal. Thank you so much for your hard work getting these on the web, you have made many children very happy!!

Schirmer's Sonatina Album for piano - a wonderful early classical book!

Comments: Do you have a story or a question about music teaching? Share 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...

What Other Visitors Have Said

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Music Teacher for Special Needs Students... What Books are Best? 
Esther: I am currently teaching piano to special needs students. The regular Bastien or Alfreds materials are too long and move too quickly. Note …

Piano teacher Not rated yet
Thank you so much for this valuable site. I really appreciate the scales, chords and arpeggios included on the scale sheets. They include everything …

Thomas, adult piano student Not rated yet
Thank you so much for this excellent site. I am an adult student at Grade 3 ABRSM level, in Ireland. I returned to learning piano after many years since …

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About the Author

Dana Thynes

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.