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Chromatic Intervals: Patterning

Goal: To hear, sing, and play chromatic combinations of notes.

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 Intervals, Scales, Melody Smorgasbords for ideas.

Beginning

  1. Using an electronic keyboard or other sustaining instrument teacher prompts, “Sing interval x from the notes I am playing.” For example: teacher plays at the same time C, Db, D, E, F, G# and asks the students to sing a minor second present in the given notes.
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Using an electronic keyboard or other sustaining instrument teacher prompts, “Sing interval x up, then interval y down from the notes I am playing.” For example teacher plays at the same time C, Db, D, E, F, G# and asks the students to sing a perfect fourth up and a minor third (augmented second) down in the given notes.
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Using an electronic keyboard or other sustaining instrument teacher plays all twelve halfsteps and prompts, “Sing interval x up, then interval y down from the notes I am playing.”
  2. Students do so.