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Augmented Sixth Chords: Change



Goal: To prepare improvisations using augmented sixth chords (Italian, French, and German).


Out of Tempo

All Levels

“Out of Tempo” exercises are not presented separately in Ear Training III and Ear Training IV improvisations. Should any exercise prove difficult performed in tempo, out of tempo versions of the materials in Ear Training III and Ear Training IV can be modeled on Ear Training I and Ear Training II approaches to out of tempo improvisations.

In Tempo

Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature, tonality, and rhythms.

Phrases can be four to thirty-two measures in length depending on the student’s ability.

Start with one note per measure and add different rhythms as students become more comfortable with the exercise. For more confident students, use non-repeating notes and rhythm patterns.

Students sing one, two, three, or four notes per measure.

Speaking, singing, playing.

Refer to the Seventh Chord Smorgasbord for ideas.

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “When I say 'change,' turn an Italian augmented sixth chord into a French augmented sixth chord.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “When I say 'change,' turn a French augmented sixth chord into a German augmented sixth chord.”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “When I say 'change', turn German augmented sixth chord into an Italian augmented sixth chord.”
  2. Students do so.

Process continues singing all chord types top down.