Winifred Crock

Pattern Play for Strings Series is designed to introduce music notation and reading to string players. It can be used in private instruction, in a group class and in any heterogeneous string class setting. This approach focuses on the development of pitch and rhythm pattern recognition and processing as a foundation of fluent sight-reading. By teaching holistic processing of patterns, teachers help students to begin process notation as fluent readers do from the first. In short Pattern Play is different.

Instruction begins with the Parent/Teacher Volume. There are over seventy-five concepts and symbols that a young sight-reader music should understand and recognize before beginning to sight-read. The Parent/Teacher Volume introduces these concepts in short sequential child centered lessons. Each lesson can be accomplished in a minute or two of instructional or practice time. The lessons begin with movement and singing and process to visual symbol in a small step sequence. The first section introduces rhythm notation with a sound to symbol connection, the second introduces pitch name and its connection to the left hand, and the third introduces the staff, tracking, measure construction and pitch notation. When addition practice is appropriate, the book directs the student to the appropriate chapter in the student volume.

The Student Volumes for Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass contain the sight reading material for the each instrument. Sequential tasks and directions throughout these books facilitate fluent sight-reading, processing of musical patterns and the development of aural skills.
Volume I contains introduction and practice material in common time using whole, half and quarter notes and introduces and practices patterns on the D and A string. Volume II introduces 3/4 meter and continued work with eighth note patterns and provides practice reading material for the patterns of G, C and E strings in combination with crossover pattern.

Special Features of Pattern Play
-Large note format and ample practice material on each concept
-Sequential introduction of common rhythmic and pitch patterns
-Separation of rhythm and pitch study
-Holistic processing
-The introduction of the two line staff before the pitched five line staff

This facilitates the visual and cognitive relationships between pitches.

The series is not intended to replace any current reading methods but instead precede them in terms of sequential learning. The student volumes are intended to be used as sight-reading material. Each exercise should be played once or twice. Students should be encouraged to play as musically and as beautifully as possible as they progress through the books.

The parent/teacher lessons are written to be led by the strings teacher, a student leader or a parent at home. They are scripted in short lessons so that the busy classroom teacher can project them to the class and have a student lead the lesson. The parent at home can also lead the lessons. Most parent/teacher lessons require no prior musical experience. This structure also assists the parent in learning to read music as well.

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