EXAM 1 Sight Reading

Slowly sing a major scale with syllables while you continually play the tonic note on the piano (play on the piano the note you start on, in the SAME OCTAVE that you are singing). Play the tonic note TOGETHER with each note you sing. Tempo: 60 to the quarter note, each syllable lasting an entire note.

Sight Singing: sing at sight a melody similar to those found in your SS Text Chapter 2. Say syllables (do re etc.) in rhythm while conducting. Sing pitches with syllables out of rhythm (just one after another taking time to get both pitch and syllable name right). Finally, conduct and SING with syllables in rhythm.

Rhythm: perform at sight a rhythm similar to those found in your Rhythmic Text in Chapter 1 and 2. Clap rhythm while counting OUT LOUD (one-and-two-and . . .). Also be able to conduct and say rhythm using “TA.”

Be able to figure out the composite rhythm of two voice rhythms and how you would perform it using right and left hands (R for top line, L for bottom line).

Exam 1 Dictation

MacGamut: Rhythmic Dictation through level 4, Intervals through level 2. Once you have “mastered” these levels but would still like to work on them, choose the “practice” option in the lower right corner of the window shown after you select the drill.

General Assignments for first two weeks.

Sing a major scale with syllables while you continually play the tonic note on the piano (play on the piano the note you start on, in the SAME OCTAVE that you are singing). Play the tonic note TOGETHER with each note you sing. Listen to the resulting harmonic intervals that you form. It will go like this: play DO and at the same time sing do; play DO and at the same time sing RE; play DO and sing MI, etc.

Sight Singing Text (SS) Chapter 2 say syllables (do re etc.) in rhythm while conducting. Sing pitches with syllables out of rhythm (one after another taking time to get both pitch and syllable name right). Then conduct and SING with syllables in rhythm. Rhythm Text work on Chapter 1 and 2, clap rhythm while counting OUT LOUD (one-and-two-and . . .). Then conduct and say rhythm using “TA.” Work on two-voice rhythms by using left hand for lower voice and right hand for the other. Think composite rhythm and both, Left or Right. Chant “both,” “left,” or “right” as you perform.

If you have trouble with two voice rhythms, write out the composite rhythm on a separate sheet of paper and write B, L, or R above each note. Perform from this until your coordination between hands feels comfortable, THEN GO BACK TO ORIGINAL NOTATION and perform.

Duets (click here) Sing the top line while playing the bottom line. Work on first five.

General Assignments for Weeks 4-5

Continue to work on SS Chapter 2. Continue to work on syllables AND preparation! Work to become more fluent with syllables and conducting.

SS Chapters 1-3: skips in the tonic triad.

Solfege Patterns groups 1-4. These online drills will help you learn these.

Rhythm text Chapters 1-4.

Duets (click here) Sing the top line while playing the bottom line. Add the last five.

MacGamut Weeks 4-5

Rhythm drills up through level 6, Interval drills to level 3.

For the interval drills you will need to spell major and minor sevenths. A major seventh is a half step smaller than an octave (for example, F up to E, or D up to C#, or Bb up to A), a minor seventh is a whole step smaller than an octave (for example F up to Eb, D up to C, Bb up to Ab). If you want to work on spelling only, choose “written drill” and click next to the intervals you want to work on.

Online ear training drills here. Writing down the solfege patterns played for you.

Sight Reading Exam 2 Preparation

Solfege Patterns Groups 1-4. These will be given to you in a random order. In addition to singing through the patterns in groups, be sure to practice doing the patterns in different orders.

Rhythm text Chapters 1-4. Concentrate on Chapter 4. Count out loud and clap the rhythm. Work on 4D and 4E.

SS: Be able to say the syllables of melodies in rhythm while conducting. Practice in Chapter 2 and the first few pages of Chapter 3. Only after you practice and are able to do this should you then add singing.

Duets (click here) 1-10.

Dictation Exam 2 Preparation

MacGamut: Rhythm drills through level 6. Interval drills to level 3.

Online ear training drills here. Writing down the solfege patterns played for you.

Sight Reading Weeks 7-8

Solfege Patterns Groups 1-4. Sing in random order. Continue to associate sound with syllable. Continue to practice singing each scale degree SLOWLY ascending and descending while playing tonic on the piano.

SS Chapter 3. Part of your preparation is to identify skips in the tonic triad. SAY syllables in rhythm while conducting. SLOW TEMPO . . . NO STOPPING . . . PREPARE. Then sing syllables while conducting.

Rhythm Chapters 4-5. Chapter 5 includes 6/8. We will begin by saying the rhythm on TA while we tap our hands on the desk (or thighs) on the beat and clap the 2^nd and 3^rd divisions of each beat. It will be DESK clap clap DESK clap clap (each sound is an eighth note).

You also will be clapping the rhythm while counting 1 + ah 2 + ah.

MacGamut Weeks 7-8

Rhythm drills levels 1-7 (syncopation). Interval drills levels 1-4.

Exam 3 Sight Reading

Solfege Patterns Groups 1-4, melody with skips in the tonic triad (such as those in Chapter 3).

Rhythms such as those in Chapter 5 (6/8). Say rhythm on TA while clapping (DESK clap clap) and be able to count out loud while clapping the rhythm. Use dynamic accents for all notes beginning on a beat.

Exam 3 Ear Training

Rhythm drills levels 1-7 (syncopation). Work on all levels, but especially 6-7. Interval drill level 4. You will be tested on interval level 4 (m3 M3 m6 M6).

Online ear training drills here.

Exam 4 Sight Reading

Rhythm: Continue work on Chapter 5. Work on counting out loud (1 + a 2 + a) while clapping rhythm. Add Chapter 6. Count out loud (1 e + a 2 e + a) while clapping the rhythm.

Pitch: Work on Solfege Patterns Groups 1-4. Work in random order. Use flash cards listing syllables. Work on being able to sing each syllable.

SS: Work on Chapter 4. Work on conducting and singing. Work on preparation. Beware of melodic skips (especially descending). Work these out as part of your preparation.

Duets (click here) 1-10.

Exam 4 Ear Training

MacGamut: Intervals—add level 5 (P4, TT, P5, P8). Review previous levels in preparation for final exam. Rhythmic Dictation—level 8 (cut time). Continue to work on level 7 (syncopation) especially if you had trouble on the last exam.

Add scales—level 1 (minor scales). Add chords—levels 1-2.

Continue to work on the online ear training drills here where you write the syllables of the notes played.

FINAL EXAM Sight Reading

Rhythm: Work on Chapter 5. Work on counting out loud (1 + a 2 + a) while clapping rhythm. Chapters 6-7 count out loud (1 e + a 2 e + a) while clapping the rhythm.

Pitch: Work on Solfege Patterns Groups 1-4. Work in random order. Use flash cards listing syllables. Work on being able to sing each syllable.

SS: Work on Chapter 4. Work on conducting and singing. Work on preparation. Beware of melodic skips (especially descending). Work these out as part of your preparation.

Duets (click here) 1-10.

FINAL EXAM Ear Training

MacGamut: Intervals—Levels 3-5 (final will have 3 sections: one like level 3, one like level 4, one like level 5). Scales—Levels 1-2 (final will be like level 2). Rhythmic Dictation—levels 4-9 (final will have examples taken from each of these levels). Chords—level 2 (final will be like level 2).

The final will also contain examples similar to the online ear training drills—pitch patterns will be played for you and you will write down the syllables. These will contain patterns not found on your solfege pattern sheet (the final sets in the online ear training also contain patterns not found on the sheet).

MacGamut Friday 12/8

The final copy of your start2003.mgs file is due.