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Melody Playback
Rhythm Clapback
Cadence Identification
Chord Identification
Interval Identification: Above Below
1. Most important is to retain a “visual memory” of the note movement.
2. Form a mental image of the instrument and try to “play along” (move your fingers)
3. Which direction do the notes move? Do the notes move by step or larger intervals? Are the notes repeated? Are melodic patterns repeated a step higher or lower?
4. What are the rhythmic patterns? Are they repeated?
5. To reinforce the concept shapes in music, listen and draw a line to indicate the changes in pitch.
6. Singing the melody helps to reinforce the “memory” required to play back a tune successfully.
7. Pay special attention to any new elements added for each grade level. For example: Grade 5 RCME and RACE adds the upper tonic note to the first five notes of the scale.
Two Part Melodies
8. Prior to starting 2 part melody exercises, practice listening to harmonic intervals (2 notes played together) and sing back the top or bottom note. This will help to separate the single interval sound into two pitches.
9. As it is easier to hear the different voices when they are further apart, play the 2 part melody separated by an octave apart when starting.
10. When both parts must be played back, listen for parallel and contrary movement of parts and reinforce that the basic rules of harmony apply (cadence at end, use of common progressions, etc.)
Rhythm Clapback (top)
1. You need a firm grasp of note values and their relationships. Start with sight reading blank rhythms first and then move to simple rhythmic dictation.
2. Start by beating time with the music to find the rhythmic pulse. Sing the tune then clapping or tapping the rhythm. Listen for emphasis on the first beat of each measure.
3. Often melodic-rhythmic passages (such as those given at exams) have too many elements to analyze at one time and it is easy to be overwhelmed. Break the concepts into smaller parts- start by clapping rhythms then move to rhythm played on single note and finally to the rhythmic exercise with a melody.
4. New rhythmic elements are introduced at different grade levels. Special attention should be paid to ensure that you have a theoretical understanding of these rhythmic concepts before starting the rhythm clap backs. For example the RCME and RACE introduces at Grade 4, sixteenth notes in 6/8 time, at Grade 5, dotted eighth notes and sixteenth rhythms, at Grade 6 ,sixteenth and eighth combinations in 3 /4 and 4 /4 time, and at Grade 7, triplet eighth notes.
Cadence Identification (top)
1. Listen carefully to the tonic chord as this sets the tonality for the cadences. Remember that Perfect (Authentic) and Plagal Cadences are final cadences and sound finished, while Imperfect (half) and Deceptive Cadences sound unfinished.
2. Listen to bass notes as upper notes may be in any inversion. A Perfect Cadence descending is a perfect 5th (Flintstones) and Perfect Cadence ascending is a Perfect 4th (Amazing Grace).
3. If you are having trouble distinguishing final cadences remember that the leading note rises in the Perfect Cadence so….. Perfect moves up and Plagal down
4. Start by comparing cadences that have descending bass notes then cadences with ascending bass notes before mixing ascending and descending.
5. ARCT level chord progressions: when identifying the I, II, IV, V, and VI chords, listen to only the root note of the chord rather than the full chord.
6. When differentiating between final cadences (Perfect or Plagal) in a minor key, the second last chord is minor in Plagal cadence but major in a Perfect cadence.
Chord Identification (top)
1. For major and minor triad identification, start by focusing on the difference between -3 and +3 intervals and then move to triads.
2. When dominant 7ths are included, start with comparison between major and dominant 7. When comparing triads and dominant 7ths listen to the number of notes played (3 or 4).
3. When diminished 7ths are included, start with comparison between minor and diminished 7ths.
4. Compare all chords starting on the same note. Example; C+, C-, C dom.7, C dim. 7.
5. Sing the individual notes of the chords.
6. Listen to the sound of the chords at various registers (not just middle register)
7. When working with inversions, start by singing individual notes of the of root, 1st and 2nd inversion chords.
8. To differentiate between 1st inversion major or minor triads, listen for the outside 6th as major will be -6 and minor will be a +6.
Interval Identification (top)
1. Although singing is not required for many exams (the Royal Conservatory offers the option of singing or identifying the intervals) singing or humming the intervals promotes “active listening”.
2. Visualize the written distance and the spatial distance when singing the intervals. This helps the relationships between sight and sound. Conversely when working on a piece of music identify the intervals by size and quality and relate to the sound of the interval.
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. Knowledge of intervals should based on foundation of scales and chords but these familiar tunes may help to reinforce interval memory:ei- Minor 3rd above (O Canada), Diminished 5th above (Simpsons theme), Minor 3rd below (This Old Man). Below is ar 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 or Standard MIDI files will let you control your study. Comprehensive Ear Training has the format that is right for you!
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