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Rhythm Exercises
Melody Singback
Scale Exercises
Cadence Identification
Chord Identification
Interval Singing: Above Below
1. You need a firm grasp of note values and their relationships. Start by sight reading blank rhythms first and then listen to samples while taking rhythm dictation. (the Vocal Ear Training CD Rhythm can be used this way)
2. Practice Singing the tune first and then clapping or tapping the clapback rhythm.
3. New rhythmic elements are introduced at different Royal Conservatory grade levels. Special attention should be paid to ensure the student has theoretical understanding of these rhythmic concepts before starting the clapbacks. For example at Grade 4 : 6/8 time and at Grade 5: 9/8 time
Melody Singback (top)
1. Most important is to retain a “visual memory” of the note movement. Ask these questions as the passage is being played. Do the notes move by step or larger intervals or are the notes repeated? Which direction do the notes move? What are the rhythmic patterns?
2. To reinforce the concept shapes in music, listen and draw a line drawingto indicate the changes in pitch.
3. As a introduction to clapping the beat while singing, clap without singing after the melody has been played once and then to clap and sing after the second playing.
4. 3. 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.
5. 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.
6. When trying to determine whether the melody is major or minor listen for the 3rd of the scale(-3 in minor and +3 in major keys)
Scale Exercises(top)
1. Have students set the different modes to their own words. This will reinforce the different scales in their minds (especially if there is a connection to the scale name in their words- ei ” sub-dom-in-ant is the sound of leaves crunching under my feet”)
Cadence Identification (top)
1. Listen carefully to the tonic chord as this sets the tonality for the cadences.
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. Start by comparing cadences that have descending bass notes then cadences with ascending bass notes before mixing ascending and descending.
4. To differentiate between Perfect and Plagal, sing “ti-doh” (leading note to tonic) and it will fit in with the Perfect but not the Plagal.
5. 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)
7. When working with inversions, start by singing individual notes of the of root, 1st and 2nd inversion chords.
Interval Singing(top)
1. Focus on new intervals introduced for each grade level.
2. Visualize the written distance and the spacial 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- 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
Major 2: Frere Jacques, major scale, Silent Night
Minor 3: O Canada, Greensleeves, To Dream the Impossible Dream
Major 3: When the Saints Go Marching In, Kum BaYah, From the Halls of Montezuma
Perfect 4: Amazing Grace, Here Comes the Bride, O Christmas Tree
Diminished 5: Maria (West Side Story), The Simpsons
Perfect 5: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Do you Hear What I Hear
Minor 6: The Entertainer, Chopin Waltz in C#-
Major 6: My Bonnie, the NBC Theme
Minor 7: There’s a Place For Us (Somewhere), top of the Dominant 7th chord
Major 7: Superman Theme
Perfect 8: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Annie Laurie
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
Minor 3: Star Spangled Banner, This Old Man, Hey Jude
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
Perfect 5: Flintstones, Bach Minuet In G
Minor 6: Love Story Them, Music of the Night
Major 6: Nobody Know the Trouble I’ve Seen, Over There
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
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 and Vocal Ear Training really works!
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