The Legend of Zelda - Main Theme

Here we go with a bit of more computer game related music. This one has an orchestral/ classical feel. "The Legend of Zelda Theme", also known as the "Overworld Theme", is a recurring song in the Legend of Zelda series. It serves as the main theme for most games in the series. It was composed by the now famous Kōji Kondō for use in the original game, The Legend of Zelda.

And here is the backing track:

It doesn't seem too fast, but when you play it, 120 BPM is a quite difficult tempo to play the second line... I had to practice a bit to be able to play it on flugelhorn. While some 12-16 years old could play the first part, for the second part you need a bit more flexibility and experience. 

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.
Triforce and SS Ancient Hylian fonts were used in the Musescore sheet:
https://zeldauniverse.net/media/fonts/ 

Click the image to download the format you want:

        

For the MuseScore sheet to look as I intended, you have to download the "Triforce" and "SS Ancient Hylian" fonts from here:
http://zeldauniverse.net/media/fonts/

Here's one of the versions I took as reference for my backing track:

Or the "old school" 8bit version recorded directly from the old game.

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material.
Cheers and happy learning,
Mihai

One Direction - Best Song Ever

It seems that you just can't avoid boy bands if you have to deal with the young generation... Actually any generation... The Jackson 5, New Kids On The Block, N Sync, Backstreet Boys, Take That... etc...

Of course the kids in my class wanted a One Direction song, so I did this for them:

It's a shorter version with some easy to play parts, targeted at pupils of 10-14 years old playing for approximately one year.
Here is a backing track, so you can play on top of it:

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.
Click the image to download the format you want:

        

And here's the original version:

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material.
Cheers and happy learning,
Mihai

Trumpet Aerobics - simple pentatonic scale up and down in a chromatic pattern

Here is a little "doodle" from my "Trumpet Aerobics" daily exercises.
It's a simple minor pentatonic scale up and down in a chromatic pattern. Nothing too fancy, just something that should be in your instrument practicing from day to day. Try different articulations, don't force, keep it comfortable, don't rush.
You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.
Click the image to download the format you want:

          

Disclaimer: I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material. All material used here are for informative and educational purposes.
Cheers and happy learning,
Mihai

Donna Lee + Melodic Solo Study

There are some jazz standards that scare many beginners or even medium level improvisers (me included). One of them is "Donna Lee" (attributed to Charlie Parker, now appears as composed by Miles Davis) and based on the chord changes of the song "(Back Home Again in) Indiana" composed by Ballard MacDonald and James F. Hanley in 1917.

Roughly, the form can be seen as A-B-Av-C.

Let's start by learning the theme and playing it over a mildly slow backing track.

Here's the lead sheet as PDF in C, B♭ and E♭. Click the image to download it.

I've made a simple solo, medium level, on the "Donna Lee" chord changes. I played it on flugelhorn over a backing track previously linked here. Here's how it sounds:

And here is the music sheet for B♭ instruments. Click the image to download it. 

After you manage to play it on this slow tempo, you might want to try playing it over more backing tracks at a faster tempo. Here are some of my favorites from YouTube:

     

For more useful information about Donna Lee, form, history and context in the jazz culture, see here:

http://www.playjazznow.com/?s=donna+lee

and

http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-1/donnalee.htm

chord progression for C, Bb and Eb instruments + backing track
http://www.learnjazzstandards.com/jazz-originals/donna-lee/
and a "stress free" leson by Steve Neff
http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/product/stress-free-donna-lee-lesson/

By downloading the provided files you accept the following terms:
You may use the provided backing tracks for:

• practice;
• recording/filming yourself soloing on top of it, and posting on YouTube or similar free services;
• use in a live performance/show. 

You may not:

• use it for commercial purposes (put it on a CD and sell it, sell it online, etc)

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material.
Cheers and happy learning,
Mihai

Tetris Theme Song

Computer games are probably the most popular entertainment, so, while brainstorming with my pupils we came up with the idea of making a computer game soundtrack concert. Tetris theme song was one of the first to pop out as a request.
Here's how it sounds:
And here is a backing track, so you can play on top of it:

You may download the music sheet as PDF, or in MuseScore format, so you can edit, transpose, transcribe and customize it to your own needs.
Click the image to download the format you want:

           

"Korobeiniki" is a nineteenth-century Russian folk song based on a poem with the same name by Nikolay Nekrasov. Due to its increasing tempo and the dance style associated with it, it quickly became a popular Russian folk song.
"New Tetris" font used for the Musescore sheet:
https://www.fontspace.com/new-tetris-font-f8802

Outside Russia, "Korobeiniki" is widely known as the "Tetris theme song", from its appearance in Nintendo's 1989 version of the game.
More info about it in Wikipedia.
Here's the original version:

Disclaimer: All materials are properties of their owners, and are used here for informative and educational purposes. I don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of misusing this material.
Cheers and happy learning,
Mihai