Singing intervals is an important skill for musicians. Even experienced students may need guidance to be able to audiate (hear pitches internally) individual pitches within the scale. Many of us are taught to sing the first two notes of familiar songs to learn to sing intervals. While this may work, it's slow and doesn't necessarily lead to audiation, independence, control, or musicality. It also forces what should be a one-step process into two steps.
Being fluent with "Daily Do" from an early age is one answer to students having a good sense of singing pitches and intervals. Roxana has this background, and this video shows her learning the steps to audiate pitches within the scale and prepare to sing intervals.
Magic Forehead Note - Pregame 1 from Music Mind Games on Vimeo.
Singing Single Pitches Within the Major Scale
- so is the first note of "Daily Do". Many who sing "Daily Do" are pleasantly surprised to be able to find that pitch on cue
- mi is the second note of "Daily Do"
- do is a third below mi. Guide them that mi is the second pitch of "Daily Do" or the second note of a major triad
- fa is one note below so
- la is one note above so
- la is also two notes below high Do. Sing “la ti Do” with the student (or all the students) a few times, then ask him to sing just la and sing ti Do silently
- re is one note above do. Sing “re do” with the student a few times, then ask him to sing just re and sing do silently
- ti is the note just below high Do or one note under low do
It's important students practice singing these pitches often throughout the week.
Singing Short Stepwise Notes Within the Major Scale
- so fa mi
- la ti Do
- fa mi re do
- so la ti Do
- Do ti la
- and whatever else pops into one's mind!
Singing Thirds Within the Major Scale
- so mi fa
- la Do ti
- do mi re
- re ti do
- Do la ti
- so ti la
- and whatever else pops into one's mind!
In this video, Roxana learns to sing the sequence of pitches she will sing when playing Magic Forehead Note.
Magic Forehead Note - Pregame 2 from Music Mind Games on Vimeo.