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Interval Singing
Intervals Above
Intervals Below
General Information
1. Establish the key. Sing the scale using solfege syllables, scale step numbers, letters names or on a neutral syllable such as la. Sing the tonic triad of the scale up and down.
2. Analyze the melody -on what line or space is the tonic (1st note) of the key? Look for the patterns in the music- are they moving by step, repeated notes, arpeggio or by other larger intervals.
3. Consider meter and tempo. Make sure you understand the rhythms and how they fit into the beats- mark in vertical beat lines on the music if it is a difficult passage. When establishing tempo, look at the most difficult rhythmic or melodic section and set your pace to this. If you have a metronome, determine your tempo ahead and check after singing that you have stayed in tempo.
4. Work through any difficult interval distances or complicated rhythmic passage before starting.
5. Sing through the passage silently, mentally “hearing” the pitches.
6. Memorize any pitches that are frequently used in the piece.
7. Ready, set, go! Do not stop or correct- just keep going.
8. When finished check the tempo and the tonic to see if you have drifted. If there were any problems, analyze the section and repair them. Sing the passage again to make the corrections.
9. Train the eyes to move continuously across the page in a bouncing motion to keep a steady beat. The eye should always be reading ahead of the voice.
10. When moving from major to minor with the same tonic, memorize the tonic and dominant notes
11. Watch for patterns such as scales, arpeggios and sequences
12. Let your knowledge of theory to guide you- remember music follows rules.
Interval Singing (top)
Knowing and understanding interval distances is critical to sight singing and practicing the singing of intervals as an exercise is helpful. The following may help you.
1. Focus on new intervals introduced for each grade level.
2. Use the framework of tonic and dominant to help you work with large intervals.
2. Visualize the written distance and the spatial distance when singing the intervals. This helps establish the relationship between sight and sound.
3. Start by singing all the required intervals above or below the same note. Once this is comfortable then change the starting note with each interval.
4.Use familiar tunes to help learn the intervals- ex- Minor 3rd above (O Canada), Diminished 5th above (Simpson’s theme), Minor 3rd below (This Old Man). Below is are a more complete listing of intervals and familiar tunes.
Intervals Above (top)
Minor 2: The Entertainer, chromatic scales, Stormy Weather, White Christmas, How Insensitive (up & down)
Major 2: Frere Jacques, Major scale, Silent Night, Happy Birthday, My Funny Valentine, Norwegian Wood
Minor 3: O Canada, Greensleeves, To Dream the Impossible Dream, Jingle Bells, Georgia, Rock a Bye Baby
Major 3: When the Saints Go Marching In, Kum BaYah, From the Halls of Montezuma, Just the Way You Are
Perfect 4: Amazing Grace, Here Comes the Bride, O Christmas Tree, While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Diminished 5: Maria (West Side Story), The Simpsons
Perfect 5: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Do you Hear What I Hear, Star Wars, My Favorite Things
Minor 6: The Entertainer, Chopin Waltz in C#-, She’s a Woman (Beatles), What if God was One of Us?
Major 6: My Bonnie, the NBC Theme, Inchworm, Take the A Train, My Way, It Came upon a Midnight Clear
Minor 7: There’s a Place For Us (Somewhere), top of the Dominant 7th chord, Star Trek
Major 7: Superman Theme, Bali H’ai, O Terra Addio (Aida)
Perfect 8: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Annie Laurie, Paper Moon
Intervals Below (top)
Minor 2: Joy to the World, Fur Elise, All Through the Night
Major 2: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Three Blind Mice, The First Noel, Yesterday, Misty, Scooby Do
Minor 3: Star Spangled Banner, This Old Man, Hey Jude, Girl From Ipanema, Jesus Loves Me
Major 3: Good Night Ladies, Beethoven’s 5th, Summer Time and Livin’ is Easy
Perfect 4: Old McDonald, Mickey Mouse Club Theme, Base Ball Chant, Born Free,All of Me, Pachelbel Canon
Perfect 5: Flintstones, Bach Minuet In G, People Will Say We’re in Love, Star Spangled Banner (1st to 3rd)
Minor 6: Love Story Theme, Sicilienne (Schumann)
Major 6: Nobody Know the Trouble I’ve Seen, Over There, Music of the Night, Narcissus
Minor 7: None But the Lonely Heart
Major 7: Down an octave and up 1 semitone
Perfect 8: There’s No Business Like Show Business, Hot Cross Buns, Willow Weep For Me
One of the most important keys to learning is repetition and this is where home study is invaluable. Ear training is like a muscle that needs exercise-the more you use it the stronger you are! The use of CD’s will let you control your study. Sight Singing Solution really works!
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