Am Stram Gammes, a fun and effective educational tool

A powerful educational tool

The game has 160 cards divided into 12 categories:

• Tone (30 cards): brings together all the tones of the cycle of fifths, including enharmonies.
• Alteration (15 cards): brings together all the possible armors corresponding to the Tone cards.
• Degree (7 cards): brings together all the degrees of the range.
• Nuance (8 cards): brings together the most commonly used nuances.
• Movement-Character (12 cards): offers indications of tempo and intentions for musical interpretation.
• Cadence (5 cards): brings together the main cadences used in Western tonal music.
• Variant (6 cards): allows you to vary the pleasures of the scales and decline a tonality or a mode in several exercises: seconds, thirds, fourths, etc., but also arpeggios, and double strings for our string instrumentalist friends.
• Note (7 cards): simply give one card per note name.
• Playing mode (15 cards): brings together different types of articulations as well as playing modes specific to different families of instruments (pizzicato, flatterzungue, glissando, mute, etc.).
  
• Articulation (12 cards): brings together all the articulation possibilities with 3 notes and 4 notes. They can also be used in the case of patterns with 6 or 8 notes.
  
• Mode-Scale (13 cards): allows as many people as possible to discover and/or practice very varied scales, ranging from the very classic major and minor modes to the modes used in jazz, including the old modes, with their Greek name.
  
• Theory-Culture (30 cards): brings together questions of musical theory and musical culture. They are divided into three difficulty levels.

The course of the game

The teacher in class, or the students at home, chooses which categories he wants to bring into play (and therefore which areas he wants to work on for the part-session) and places them face down. The students in a semi-circle in front of the playing area each draw a card, answer it or define what they see there then play what was drawn.

For example, in the case of a lesson of four second-year clarinet (or other instrument) students : if the key of C major is drawn, as well as the dominant degree card, the mezzo-forte nuance, and the Theory card -Culture “cite two French composers”, then the first student will state the key signature of C major, the next will say what the dominant is, the third will define mezzo-forte, the last will cite the two composers requested.

Then the four students in the example will play C major, the first the ascending diatonic scale, the second the descending diatonic scale, the third the ascending triad and the fourth the descending triad.

Finally, they will all play the C major triad together , sharing the notes of the chord. On this occasion the work of accuracy becomes central and embodied.

At the end of this first round, everyone takes the place of their neighbor on the left and the operation is repeated with new cards in each category. Thus, in four rounds of play, each student answered a question from each category in play.

Once experienced, students can play alone or with others at home. This game develops qualities of listening, mutual assistance, concentration , as well as emulation and very visible joy, according to the numerous testimonies of teachers and students who have tested it.

A few words from the designer

Passionate, versatile and full of energy, Claire Feuillette teaches clarinet at the municipal conservatory of the 10th arrondissement of Paris, as well as within the Demos project of the Philarmonie de Paris. She invented the game Am Stram Gammes in 2015 to respond to a problem that arose in her group classes: How to approach precise and demanding technical and theoretical aspects without excluding anyone? It seems that the musician was able to respond brilliantly!

What was your goal in designing this game?

“My primary objective was to approach the scales in a fun way, to make the link between theoretical learning and practical application , all while putting an entire group of students in reflection and action. Where, in an individual course, the question does not necessarily arise, in a group course it is difficult to spend too long periods in the individual format, where the rest of the group becomes spectators. The principle of the group course is that the group as a whole is the driving force, the actor . At the same time, it is necessary to have lesson times focused on each student and take the time to get to the bottom of individual problems. This game and its mechanics respond perfectly to this problem and that is why it works so well. The students are all active, and naturally, they feel concerned by a common objective (answer well, play well) and tackle sometimes complex knowledge effortlessly."

Who is this for ?

“It is intended for all musical instrument teachers, musical training teachers, and students wishing to play it at home outside of class. Am Stram Gammes was designed for group instrumental lessons. It is intended for group lessons of two to four students , but it can be used in individual lessons and with larger ensembles of students (for example, instrumental lessons with five or more students or music training lessons).

It is in reality an infinitely adaptable tool , which each person, teacher or student, can appropriate and adapt to their needs. I propose basic rules as well as some ideas for variations, but it's up to you to be inventive: the rules are infinitely imaginable!"

They liked it, they recommend... Richard Rimbert, CRR of Bordeaux and Bordeaux-Aquitaine Higher Pole “Am Stram Gammes is always in my class. I intended it for my class bringing together 4 little ones in 1 hour (8 years old): they love it and ask for it. I will expand next year. The game highlighted my delay on the points proposed: it is therefore also a revealer, a guide, a sort of continuous control, a repeater. Thanks to its “pedagogy”, it allows us to acquire essential prerequisites for cycle 2 without putting off our young musicians." Laurent Fléchier, professor at the Villefranche-sur-Saône conservatory “There is real enthusiasm among the students (I tested it from the 1st to the end of the 2nd cycle)! I find the principle very good, the game is very flexible and we can easily invent other rules depending on the context." Audrey Fernandez, professor at the Bruges music school (Gironde) “I've only had him for 2 months and he's already adopted! The students love it! This very complete game; it allows you to make the link between instrument and music theory, which is a strong point because very often, students compartmentalize their learning. In addition, the variety of cards and themes makes it a game that adapts to all levels and circumstances!" Briac Lardeux, Music School of La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Toutes-Aides and Vallet “My students really love this game! And me too! Scales are learned while having fun, and swapping roles brings something new every time."

► Order a game on the Am Stram Gammes website
► Am Stram Gammes YouTube channel
► Learn more about Claire Feuillette