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Accents: Patterning

Goal: To hear, sing, play, and differentiate accents and articulations with a focus on fermata.

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

Focus on fermata.

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

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing or play this pattern of accent or articulation and add a fermata on beat x.” For example: staccato or sforzando or legato: fermata.
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing or play this pattern of accent or articulation and add a fermata on beat y.” For example: staccato or sforzando or fermata/legato.
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing or play this pattern of accent or articulation and add a fermata on beat z.” For example: staccato or fermata or sforzando/legato.
  2. Students do so.