Why Because

16-yr-old girl, who last week dealt with C# major and its key signature of all sharps. 

Me: Why does C# major have all sharps?
Girl: Because it's C# major.
Me: But why?
Girl: Because it has all sharps.
Me: You've just told me that C# major has all sharps because it's C# major. 
Girl [slightly apologetically]: I know...  That's what I usually do in exams if I don't know the answer, I just rewrite the question in a slightly different way so it sounds like I know what I'm talking about.

Honest.  She then tried to tell me this is the scale you learn first on violin, even though last week she was scared just looking at the key signature.

Maths Brain

Doing theory with a 16-yr-old girl (the same one mentioned here).  She hasn't done much for a while, so we backed up a bit to grade 5.  We got to a question which asked for the C# major scale, with the key signature.  Then things got interesting.

Me: Read the question.  We need the key signature of C# major. 
Girl: So, C sharp, right?
Me: Yep.  [pause] What sharps are you going to need?
Girl: ... C... sharp...
Me [thinking this could take a while]: Okay, think back years and years, to when you did grade 1 theory...
Girl: I'll try...
Me: ...and you did C major scale first. 
Girl: Uh huh.
Me: Why did they make you do C major first?
Girl: Um... because it's only one octave? [nope] because it's only got one sharp?
Me: Does is really?
Girl: Oh - does it have 2 sharps?
Me: Ah, no.  [skip a few similar, incorrect, statements] C major has no sharps or flats.  It's all natural.
Girl [light bulb, I thought]: Ohhh...
Me: So, switch on your maths brain -
Girl [eyebrow raised]: But I don't have a maths brain, haven't you realised that yet?
Me: Oh yeah... If C major was all natural, you have to make every note sharper.  C sharp, and D sharp, and E sharp [etc]
Girl: No wonder they didn't make us do that in grade 1 - that's scary even now!

A Diminished Chord

On Monday, I was working on a new piece with an 8-yr-old.  We'd already sorted out the second fingers.  A little phrase kept repeating itself, C-A-F# (2 - open - 2).  I said that could form a chord, and had her play the C while I played the A and F#.

Me: What do you think it sounds like?
Girl: Umm...
Me: Do you think it sounds happy?
Girl: Not really.  But it's not really sad, either.  More... just... squished.
Me [smiling]: True... Do you think it sounds spooky at all?
Girl [squishing up her face, in that 'what is my teacher on about?' look]: Ah... I guess...

One thing I enjoy about teaching, is the new perspective brought to musical theory.  Having had ideas and concepts drilled into my brain for years, hearing new ideas from someone new to the concept is refreshing.

Thirds

A grade 9 girl, learning a new piece.  In 4th position, her fingers were not quite sure of their spacing.

Me: What's that interval? [C-E]
Girl: 3.
Me: Ahem.
Girl: A third.
Me: Better.  What sort of a third?
Girl: Minor.
Me: Um, why?
Girl: Because it sounds really creepy.
Me: Ooh.  [I played it an octave lower]  How about then?
Girl, very confused: Major.  Definitely.  Not creepy at all.

[In case you're not sure - C to E is a major third]