Questions: Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing

Questions: Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing

Q: I am working from Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing for 4 (15 minute) sessions a day. After each 15-minute session I do a 15-minute session of Ear Training One Note Complete Beginner. Currently for Fanatic’s Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing I do this method for each of the 12 tracks:

• 1. Listen to cadence
• 2. Attempt to pre-hear and then sing Major 3rd. without first singing or playing tonic on guitar.
• 3. Check note by playing it on guitar.

If I was wrong.

• 1. Listen again
• 2. Attempt again but now correct pitch has already been played on guitar so I won’t be wrong this time.
• 3. Continue to sing while occasionally checking pitch until I can stop singing and playing the pitch and can still hear it in my head.

My Question: I seem to be able to sing the correct pitch (major 3rd) about 10 of the 12 tracks on the first try without having it played on guitar first. Lets say I continue diatonic now and start on the perfect 5th for each track and if so what would my 4 (15 minute) sessions consist of now? How many of my 4 sessions should I use to review my major 3rds? I can see in time that as a I conquer prehearing more and more degrees I may need to increase the amount of time on each session as I will need to review all previous degrees. Now if I go chromatic after working with the major 3rd should I start by next tackling the minor 2nd, then minor 3rd, then perfect 4th?

SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS

• 1. What should my 4 sessions consist of now?
• 2. How many sessions spent on reviewing previous degree.
• 3. Should I continue chromatic or diatonic for best results?

A: I would continue working through the pitches. You could do this in any order but I often recommend this order:

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, b7, b2, #4, #5, b3

It’s good to review notes but if you are consistent in getting the right pitch then only concentrate on the notes that are causing you problems. Sometimes people will need more time than 15 minutes for each session. If you have the time and energy then certainly add on more time. Sounds like things are developing quite nicely so add in more notes to sing as you feel your correct response rate gets around 80%. Keep adding till you have an 80% correct response rate and then it’s time for a new exercise. Remember if you feel you have a note that is strong just concentrate on the weak ones.

It is also recommended that you read Bruce Arnold’s Blog at his artist site. It contains more discussion of the musical topics found in these FAQs as well as other subjects of interest. You will also find the “Music Education Genealogy Chart” located here which shows you the historic significance of the music education products found on the Muse Eek Publishing Company Website.