- Level: Early to Mid Intermediate
- Pages: 4 pages, 2 pages of music, cover included!
- Style: Sneaky
- Series: Jazz Shorts
- Format: PDF instant download + Performance mp3 included
In stories, the best villains and tricksters are the ones we originally thought we could trust. Or maybe we go back and forth the whole time, not sure if they should or shouldn’t be allowed near the hero. Hoodwinked perfectly captures this veiling of the truth in its sound. The swing and melody in the A section makes the “character” in this piece sound slightly mysterious or dangerous – as if you should watch where you step. But once the B section comes around, our musical character is friendly and even cavalier.
So should they be trusted? Should they not? Letting your student decide a backstory for this piece is a great way to get them invested in the piece, and to play it dynamically!
Leveling of Hoodwinked
Hoodwinked is an early intermediate piece. It is written in d minor, but uses not key signature. Instead, accidentals are written throughout. The smallest note value is an eighth note, and there is no pedaling in the piece. This piece is written in 4/4, and is meant to have a “swing” rhythm. Helpful fingerings are written in throughout.
Students may not be familiar with “swinging” a piece at this point – that is taken into consideration with how the melody is written. The right hand moves up and down by step for the first several measures, giving students a chance to establish the “feel”. Since each note is repeated twice throughout the main motive, it also gives students a chance to practice swinging on just one note before moving on to the next. This way, more attention can be given to the rhythm when students know the note is exactly the same as the previous one.
How does Hoodwinked Help Students Learn to Swing Rhythms?
Put another way, since students have to lift their hand between repeated notes in the motive, it’s much more natural to take time on the first eighth and swing to the next note a step away. Take a look at the main motive to see what we mean:
More Jazz Shorts + Discount Opportunity
Jazz Short is a set of jazz, early to mid intermediate pieces composed by Wendy Stevens. These pieces fall naturally under the hands and are even appropriate for students with small hands. This set comes as a discounted bundle here and includes:
- Audacious
- Diddly-squat
- Hoodwinked (that’s this piece)
- Zigzaggedy
Bonus recording included!
This Hoodwinked piano solo comes with a bonus mp3 recording performed by Wendy Stevens. You are permitted to send this example performance track to your students to help them learn the piece.
What is the Studio License?
Hoodwinked is delivered digitally (through your email receipt) and is studio licensed. This means that you can print and use this for any student that you directly teach for your entire lifetime of teaching.
Wanda Mandigo –
I have an 8th grade boy student who paused lessons for two years, and has now come back. He WANTS to play music that sounds cool, but because of the break he took, his skills have suffered. I gave him Hoodwinked and he is doing well with it.
Because of the jazz feel, he likes the sounds and it is not too difficult for him to master. This whole set has great-sounding pieces, but I haven’t used the others yet.
Marie Cahill –
I bought the jazz series and so far have just used Hoodwinked. The kids LOVE it. This piece gives the student a chance to hone up on their swing rhythm and the B section with its circle of 5ths falls under the hand extremely well. I intend to proceed with the other pieces in the series as we progress. I give it 5 stars.
Teresa –
My students love the pieces I get from Wendy Stevens. The current favorites are Audacious and Hoodwinked. Such pieces make technique and theory easy to teach. You know: “Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.” Keep up the great work!
Cheryl Langley –
This is a fun piece and easy to memorize for students who are reluctant to memorize! I like how easy it is for kids to learn how to swing eighth notes. It has an appealing sound for those who like jazz.
Laura Blattner –
I introduced this piece to a student who had been struggling with her enthusiasm for piano and motivation to practice. It was EXACTLY what she needed to jump start her love for music again and play something that was quickly accessible but also fun to play! She loved it so much she’s already asked for more in the series and it has been so refreshing to have her energy (and steady practice!) return!