First Steps - Dictation & Sight Singing

 

1. Dictation & Sight Singing

• Develop listening skills by training students to recognize different intervals through singing
• Sing using solfege and Curwen hand signs 
• Learn to sing intervals, triads and/or scales
• Learn to keep a steady beat
• Learn to write melodic patterns on the staff using steps and skips
• Learn to play melodic patterns on the keyboard using steps and skips

 

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Suggestions for Helping Students Sing on Pitch:

 

• Match the student’s pitch rather than asking them to match yours. Then change yours slightly to guide them to learn how to adjust their pitch
• Use humor, “The pitch is located in your eyebrows. Just move them up and down a little and your voice will follow.
• Give students permission to make sounds that they might not like right away.

 

Hand Signs Memory Tips for teachers and students:

In the order the pitches occur in “Daily Do”.

1.    So  “Like two fish swimming to each other. Nemo’s father, Martin, and Dori are saying ‘hello’.” I make a           swimming motion with my hands. If anyone’s thumbs are sticking up (I like thumbs down as it’s an easier transition to mi) I say, “Thumbs up looks like a shark. What was his name?” (Bruce)

2.    Mi  “Nemo’s father, Martin and Dori are swimming flat on the ocean floor.”

3.    La  “Your mouth makes an open shape and your hands do the same.”        

4.    Do  “Like a lump of bread dough or cookie dough. Ymmm.”

5.    Re  “Like the rays of sun rising in the morning.”

6.    Fa  “Thumbs pointing down to the half step to mi”. I say this even if we haven’t studied half steps to plant  the idea
7.     Ti   “Pointing up to the half step to do.”

The students will be in measure #5 and making the sign for la. Ask "Where would you point if I said up?" They will point up and you can show them how to slightly angle their fingers for the hand sign.
 

Benefits of "Daily Do":

• Everyone stands tall with confidence
• Singing in tune
• Major, minor, triads and intervals are all in one song
• Natural way to learn the relationship of major and minor scales
• Excellent warm-up for ear, eye, voice and body
• Hands are moving vertically like the staff
• Experience happens before labeling or seeing the musical score
• Singing at the beginning of each class or lesson brings continuity and discipline

 

Why use both hands:

• Easier for students to model teacher
• Use both sides of the brain at the same time
• Better body balance

 

Specifics of "Daily Do":

• Begins with the minor third, an interval naturally sung by children in many cultures
• Beginning with three pitches in the middle of the scale is easier than beginning at the bottom with do
• "Daily Do" is overflowing with content: major triad, major scale, intervals in the major scale, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7, octave, minor scale, minor triad and relationship of relative major and minor