Traditional Kids Songs - White Sand & Grey Sand
Traditional kids songs are timeless.
White Sand & Grey Sand is a singing round from England with beautiful harmonies that your students will like for the pretty melody and the unusual round lyrics!
Take note: I have TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS on this page...
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Here is an adult group singing this song, apparently for the first time.
See if you can detect their uncertainty about the 3rd note of line 3, after they split into sections:
Yes, that third note of line three is tricky to sing in harmony. Melodically, it is very beautiful, but it clashes with the 3rd note of line two.
The dissonance is quite charming when it resolves to the next notes, but for a tiny group of singers it may be a real challenge to hold on to that C against B!
For that reason, I made a second arrangement for my tiny group of summer lesson singers. The only difference is that third note in the last line - they hold onto the D through the end of the song, for best harmony.
Soon they will be stronger, or have more numbers to support them, then we'll go back to the other version (though this one works very well):
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
What are the lines coming off that penultimate note to the last cluster of notes?
Just in case you have a large group of confident singers, they can split into two or three parts at the end. Very satisfying.
And here is a version sung in a MINOR key, instead of major.
Everything is the same melodically except (using my key of G arrangement as a reference) the B's will become Bb's, and the E's will become Eb's. I haven't tried this with my singers yet, but I'm going to!
For chord accompaniment, use the I, IV, and V chords (G, C, and D in this key).
If you change it to minor, use i, iv, and V - Gm, Cm, and D - you will keep the V chord major.
The links to the round arrangements:
Download traditional kids songs White Sand and Grey Sand, version 1
Download the round lyrics and sheet music for easier harmony White Sands
More Rounds at Music-for-Music-Teachers.com
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Christmas is Coming, the Goose is Getting Fat
Lots of big interval jumps, even octaves, make this round fun and tricky.
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Interested in songs from the Bible for your students or church? Check out my other website, SingTheBibleStory.com!
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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.
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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!
Marianne:
You are awesome. Thank you. I'm a voice and piano teacher and to have so many pieces in one place- for many different levels- is a Godsend. Thank you for the time and effort you have put in to make this so easily available to all of us stressed music teachers!!!
Deb:
... I watched your video "Wondrous Love" with your eight gals - Magnificent! So refreshing to see good harmonies sung a capella these days; it seems to be rare!
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!
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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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