Harmonic Progressions: Call and Response
Goal: To prepare modulation using social activities.
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 Harmony Smorgasbord for ideas.
Prior to beginning each exercise, have a review of which chromatic notes are needed to change to closely related keys.
Beginning
- Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “I sing a tonic and you sing a dominant.”
- Students do so.
Intermediate
- Student sets up as above and prompts, “I sing a dominant and you sing a tonic.”
- Another student does so.
Advanced
- Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Student A sings a tonic, student B sings a five (seven) of a closely related new key, and student C sings the new tonic.”
- Students do so.