Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It:

Learn each line…

A B C D E F G A
B C D E F G A B
Forward à C D E F G A B C
D E F G A B C D ß AND backward!
E F G A B C D E
F G A B C D E F
G A B C D E F G

Get a metronome or metronome app, set the pulse to 60, and practice saying each alphabet,
forward and backward, until you can say them all from memory, right with the click, no pauses or
mistakes! Or – way easier - use the practice video instead.

You may find it easier to look at the Alphabet Stair charts on pages 2-5. Need more to do? Try the
Alphabet Challenges at the end.

Remember: setting 60 on your metronome is just a starting place – how fast can you go???

Musical Alphabet 1
 Alphabet Stairs

You might find these easier to read than the chart on page 1. They are exactly the same – the
page 1 chart just takes up less space. Use whichever one helps you the most.

Starting on A, say the alphabet going up and down:

A
G G
F F
E E
D D
C C
B B
A A

Musical Alphabet 2
 Starting on B, say the alphabet going up and down:

B
A A
G G
F F
E E
D D
C C
B B

Starting on C, say the alphabet going up and down:

C
B B
A A
G G
F F
E E
D D
C C

Musical Alphabet 3
 Starting on D, say the alphabet going up and down:

D
C C
B B
A A
G G
F F
E E
D D

Starting on E, say the alphabet going up and down:

E
D D
C C
B B
A A
G G
F F
E E

Musical Alphabet 4
 Starting on F, say the alphabet going up and down:

F
E E
D D
C C
B B
A A
G G
F F

Starting on G, say the alphabet going up and down:

G
F F
E E
D D
C C
B B
A A
G G

Musical Alphabet 5
 Why Am I Doing This???*

Just like your ABC’s, the musical alphabet gives you the building blocks for ALL music reading.

If you read the musical alphabet side to side, it shows you the names of the piano white keys:

A B C D E F G A
B C D E F G A B
C D E F G A B C
D E F G A B C D
E F G A B C D E
F G A B C D E F
G A B C D E F G
*- pssssst. You don’t have to read this part. If you’re ready to start practicing, do it! But if you’re not convinced, or you want
to learn more, read on. This information can also be helpful for parents and caretakers.

Musical Alphabet 6
When you read it up and down, the musical alphabet shows you the names of all the notes on the
staff. Mind blown, right???

A
G G
F F F
E E E E
D D D D D
C C C C C C
B B B B B B B
A A A A A A A A
G G G G G G G
F F F F F F
E E E E E
D D D D
C C C
B B
A

Musical Alphabet 7
Plus, every scale is a version of the musical alphabet:

A major scale: A B C# D E F# G# A
B major scale B C# D# E F# G# A# B
C major scale: C D E F G A B C
D major scale: D E F# G A B C# D
E major scale: E F# G# A B C# D# E
F major scale: F G A Bb C D E F
G major scale: G A B C D E F# G

And chords are built with it, too:

A major chord: A B C# D E F# G# A
B major chord: B C# D# E F# G# A# B
C major chord: C D E F G A B C
D major chord: D E F# G A B C# D
E major chord: E F# G# A B C# D# E
F major chord: F G A Bb C D E F
G major chord: G A B C D E F# G

Musical Alphabet 8
See how important knowing your musical alphabet is? It helps at every level – beginner
through rock star.

If you really, really know your musical alphabet, everything about reading music will be
easier. If you don’t, it will all be harder than it has to be. Plus, knowing your musical
alphabet will impress your friends at parties. (Trust me. It definitely will.)

But wait – what was your mission again? Oh, right - learn each line of the alphabet forward
and backward, with the metronome.

Don’t be fooled! Now is NOT the time to learn all your white key names and staff notes and
scales! I was just showing you all the ways that the musical alphabet is important. And now
you believe me, right?

So get out that metronome, and start saying your alphabet(s). You can practice anywhere,
anytime – no instrument needed. And – it’s so much fun!

Musical Alphabet 9
 The Alphabet Challenges

Whoa there, buddy. Hold on a second.

Can you say the musical alphabet starting on every letter? (Yes.)
Forward and backward? (Yes.)
With a metronome? (Yes.)
No pauses, no mess ups? (Yes.)
…really? (Yes!)
With the metronome set at 60? (Yes.)
How about at 75? (Uh… almost.)
How about at 90? (Er… not really…)

Then turn around and keep practicing the stuff above. I know you’re super-smart and learn fast,
and I’ll bet you’ve already passed your Level 97 Lesson Book.

But – don’t move on to these challenges until you can confidently answer yes to all of those
questions. Every letter, forward and backward, with the metronome at 90.

Promise? Thanks. You’re awesome.

Musical Alphabet 10
 Alphabet Challenge 1

Once you can say the musical alphabet, starting on any letter, forward and backward, with the
metronome at 90, try this:

- Set the metronome to 45. Say your alphabet in eight notes – two per beat.
Increase the speed to get faster and faster OR…

- Leave the metronome at 45. Say your alphabets in triplets – three per beat.
Increase your speed to get faster and faster OR…

- Leave the metronome at 45. Say your alphabets in sixteenth notes – four per beat.

HINT 1: Triplets are the toughest - take it slow!

HINT 2: It doesn’t matter if you say the last letter of the alphabet twice or once
(twice: ABCDEFGA-AGFEDCBA – or once: ABCDEFG-AGFEDCBA), but decide which you want to do, or
you’ll get confused.

Musical Alphabet 11
 Alphabet Challenge 2

Instead of saying one note right after the other (in seconds – and if you’re reading
this, you should know what that means!) choose a starting letter, and go forward and
backward by different intervals.

Going up ---------/-----Going Down

- Thirds: A-C-E-G-B-D-F-A/F-D-B-G-E-C-A
- Fourths: A-D-G-C-F-B-E-A/E-B-F-C-G-D-A
- Fifths: A-E-B-F-C-G-D-A/D-G-C-F-B-E-A
- Sixths: A-F-D-B-G-E-C-A/C-E-G-B-D-F-A

Repeat, starting on B, C… you get the idea. Don’t forget your metronome. Try setting it
at 45, saying *one* letter per beat.

(What about sevenths, you ask? Sevenths don’t work for this. Why not? Think it
through, tell me the right answer and I’ll give you a round of applause.)

HINT: This. is. hard. Crazy hard. Week 72 of Quarantine Hard. But if we get there…
don’t say you don’t have anything to do. J

- Created by Rebecca Smithorn, for her students, with love 💕

COVID-19 Shutdown, 2020

Musical Alphabet 12