Back sometime ago, I recall a thread where someone recommended a website that had some interactive "Theory Games", but I can't seem to find it. One of the games on the website displayed individual notes in either clef, and the person had to key in the correct name.

I have some pupils that really need some help with learning to read the notes, and I think they might benefit from this sort of on-line game. Can anyone provide the web link?

Was it www.musictheory.net ?

Or www.practicespot.com ?

Pedaplus.com has this game. They also have interval training games. Fantastic for kids who love computer games but won't sit down to look at notes / theory books.

Also, another thing I've done with the really young pupils (5years) is associate the names of the notes with animal sounds so c=cat, d=dog etc. First I'll make a prat of myself by giving them a clue by the animal noises which makes them laugh lots. Then I get them to do it with sounds which makes them laugh even more, and then we go through as normal. So they think we're having a mad laffin session when in fact I'm getting them to do notation reading three times over. Genius huh!?!

What a great phrase...and a good idea!

Thanks for everyone's contributions - some very good ideas, and the website games I was looking for! I am sure that all this on top of my usual methods, will be a big help.

I always say "G for Ground" when pointing to the line at the bottom of the bass stave and "A for Air" for the line at the top.

For minim rests I draw a little tail on and say "Minim Mouse" - no one's ever forgotton

I was taught "minim mouse", "semibreve spider" - more years ago than I care to admit to, but my students seem to really like the idea!

Me too ! except my pupils nowadays seem to have difficulty memorising names of note-lengths - so it doesn't help them much.

I was taught that because minim rests are only two beats they don't have very much strength therefore they have to sit on the line whereas semibreve rests being 4 beats are stronger therefore they can hang from the line.

I used this with one of my pupils recently and fingers crossed it has kicked in....alternately I have a musical dominoes game where instead of matching number of dots you match the note values. My pupils all loved this as a christmas treat!

I always remember it that semibreve rests are longer and therefore heavier so hang down from the line, whereas mimins are smaller and light enough to sit on the line.

I use Minims sit on the Middle line; Semibreves are Suspended from the Second line down.

Where did you get your musical dominoes game from? Sounds interesting