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Accents: Landscaping

Goal: To hear, sing, play, and differentiate accents and articulations: staccato, legato, marcato, sforzando, subito, tenuto, fermata, and cesura.

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, rhythms. 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.

Beginner

Use the name game.

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing or play your name using three different accents or articulations.” For example: staccato, marcato, legato.
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing or play your name using tenuto, fermata, cesura.”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing or play your name combining accents and articulations.” For example: sforzando, staccato, tenuto, legato, cesura, marcato.
  2. Students do so.