The link below will open the Song Wizard in a separate tab suitable for full screen viewing
Korobeiniki is a Russian folk song, that tells the story of a meeting between a pedlar and a girl,
whose haggling is a metaphor of their courtship.
It was made famous as the theme song for the video game Tetris released on the Nintendo Gameboy in 1989.
The Boomwhacker melody of this song is entirely in the A minor Scale.
A minor is relative to C Major, in that they use the same set of pitches, with no sharps or flats.
This is the first song in a minor key for the Song Wizard, and is a great example for teaching and hearing the differences between major and minor keys.
This lesson also introduces the advanced Boomwhacker technique of rolling, which is explained and demonstrated in this brief tutorial. In the teaching tips drop down menu below you’ll find other information about the particularities of playing this song.
You can see the song being played by me (all four parts!) in the video below.
Korobeiniki is presented here in the key of A minor. Every major key in music has a relative minor, which uses most of the same notes as the major scale, but starting on the sixth scale step of the major key in question. In this instance C is the relative Major. If you go up to the interval of a sixth above C, you arrive at the A, which is where we start its relative minor.
There are different ways of configuring minor scales (known as melodic, harmonic, and natural). Both the melodic and harmonic configurations of the scale alter the sixth and/or seventh note of the scale, making them either sharp or flat. We are fortunate that Korobeiniki uses the natural version of the minor scale, which has no alterations, because it can be played with the standard set of Boomwhackers and a couple of octave caps.
One difficulty to playing this piece in the class is in having enough A Boomwhackers. If you have 6 one octave sets, only 12 students can play using the configuration below.
One way to get around the limitation of not having enough A Boomwhackers is to get those who would be playing the high (uncapped) A to use the High C instead. This switch doesn’t alter the melody too significantly, and will allow more students to participate.
Just tell them to pretend the High C is the A. It’s not hard to imagine, because it usually the top note of scale anyway.
Another way to get around this limitation is to have students play only one note each. If you go this route, I suggest having one student play both the F and G, otherwise the students with these notes one have much to do. Only playing one note can also be a good way to approach rolling, which is explained further below.
Boomwhacker Rolls
Doing a boomwhacker roll is a fun, if not somewhat more advanced, technique for Boomwhackers. Essentially it is a means of sustaining the Boomwhacker sound for longer notes.
You can only be holding one Boomwhacker to be able to play a roll. The hand that is not holding the instrument will be placed above it, about 20-25 cm above the playing surface. To play the roll, alternate quickly between striking the playing surface below and the hand above. Maintain this rapid up-and-down motion for the duration of the note being played.
In a perfect situation, the alternating notes will follow the subdivision of the music, usually on the sixteenth note. This is very advanced technique. For the time being if you can get your students to start and most importantly STOP at the right time, then that should be considered a success.
Korobeiniki is a song composed in an AB form. It has two very distinct sections. The first phrase of the the song (A section) has a melody which climbs and descends mostly in steps. The second phrase (B section) has long notes that progress in leaps.
To play this song using rolls, have the students hold on to BOTH of their Boomwhackers for the A section. As soon as the A section is done, the students will need to put down one of their instruments. Group 2 will hold onto their capped B for the whole B section, and group 3 will do the same with their C.
Group 1 will start with the E, but then switch to the capped A, then back to the E for the rest of the B section. Group 4 will start with the D, and only switch to the uncapped A near the very end of the song.
All students will pick up their second boomwhacker to restart the A section if playing the song more than once (highly recommended).
This is one of the songs that is most exciting to try using the accelerated Loop function. Start slow and have fun!
Leave your suggestions and comments in the field at the bottom of the page!
The following tables outline the curricular connections that are addressed by principles presented in this tutorial.
In particular, it lists which Specific Learner Expectations (Concepts and Skills) are covered according to the
Alberta Curriculum for Elementary Music.
Those expectations that are addressed partially or indirectly rather than explicitly are displayed in italics.
To get the most from these tables, please visit the page explaining Whacky Wizards Curricular Connections.
| Rhythm | Melody | Harmony | Form | Expression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
5. Melodies are based on scales: major, minor and pentatonic (5-tone). | 4. Major and minor chords have different sounds. | 1. Music can be organized into sections––alike or different. | 6. Music reflects our feelings about holidays, seasons, our country and cultural heritage. | |
7. Sounds that move up or down by steps or half steps within the octave are called scales. – Melodies may move by scale steps. – Melodies may move by leaps. | 14. Other chords may be used to accompany melody; e.g., E minor, E7. | 2. A section may be repeated (verse, chorus). | ||
3. Music is organized into phrases. | ||||
4. A whole piece of music may be comprised of a number of sections. | ||||
5. Sections may be identified by letters; e.g., AB, ABA, ABAB. | ||||
6. There may be an introduction, an interlude and an ending (coda). |
Listening | Moving | Singing | Playing Instruments | Reading & Writing | Creating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10. Identify “like” and “unlike” patterns in music. | 11. Sing many folk, ethnic, seasonal and holiday songs. | ||||
11. Respond to phrases in music. | |||||
13. Detect the contour (shape) of melody | |||||
15. Identify the difference in sound between songs in major and minor keys |
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Can’t tell a quarter note from a treble clef? Are sharp and flat just words you would use to describe a knife? You’re not alone.
In fact, Whacky Wizards was created to be used by people just like you. The program was researched and designed specifically for teachers who had been asked to teach music but who often:
After a 10-week trial period with the program, every one of these teachers said that their confidence and competence for music instruction had improved.
The best part is that even if you don’t need musical knowledge to use the program, there are plenty of opportunities to learn. The site features an amazing 5-part tutorial series called “How Music Works” which teaches the most essential elements of music in a way that is approachable and pragmatic. These ‘go-at-your-own-pace’ video lessons offer instruction on how to learn and apply these concepts while using the program.
Whacky Wizards is a program dedicated to help groups of all descriptions easily make music in a fun, interactive, and highly engaging way using Boomwhackers™ percussion tubes. The program has special features for educators, but can be used by any group wanting to have a great time making music.
The site revolves around three custom apps which focus on different aspects of music making – The Song Wizard, The Rhythm Tutor, and The Whacky Looper.
The content of the site is presented in modules which feature different songs (using The Song Wizard) or rhythmic patterns (Using The Rhythm Tutor and The Whacky Looper). Each module contains tips and instructions for playing it’s featured music with your group, as well as instructional resources for teachers and those wanting to expand their musical knowledge.
Whacky Wizards is a program dedicated to help groups of all descriptions easily make music in a fun, interactive, and highly engaging way using Boomwhackers™ percussion tubes. The program has special features for educators, but can be used by any group wanting to have a great time making music.
The site revolves around three custom apps which focus on different aspects of music making – The Song Wizard, The Rhythm Tutor, and The Whacky Looper.
The content of the site is presented in modules which feature different songs (using The Song Wizard) or rhythmic patterns (Using The Rhythm Tutor and The Whacky Looper). Each module contains tips and instructions for playing it’s featured music with your group, as well as instructional resources for teachers and those wanting to expand their musical knowledge.
