Many of us use listening maps to guide our students through musical works. When you think about it, listening maps are really music scores for non-music readers. They typically represent the main themes and sections of a piece with pictures or graphics. It is also possible to use an actual music score as a listening … Continue reading How Can A Musical Score Be Used As A Listening Map?
music literacy
What Are Questions Students Ask About Music Reading?
During my classes the last two days, students have asked me several questions about musical notation. I thought I might share these questions and the answers I gave to them. I think it is helpful to know what is going on in the minds of students while we are teaching them. Sometimes, lines of thinking, … Continue reading What Are Questions Students Ask About Music Reading?
What Are Some Effective Ways to Teach Dotted Rhythms?
In music, there are three kinds of durations: beat elongations, beat divisions, and beat equivalents. The beat being elongated, divided, or equaled is called the tactus; it is the one being tracked as the pulse or "heartbeat" of the music. Beat elongations are durations longer than the tactus, beat divisions are durations that are shorter … Continue reading What Are Some Effective Ways to Teach Dotted Rhythms?
Overcoming Confusion When Teaching Music Reading
Teaching children to read music can be challenging, particularly if formal instruction in it is not started until the children are 9 or 10 years old. Elsewhere, I have written about the importance of teaching "sound before sight" when teaching students to read music. Like language, musical patterns must be learned aurally and orally before … Continue reading Overcoming Confusion When Teaching Music Reading
Update on my Switch to Fixed Do
Last month, I wrote about using fixed do solfege in my music classes (Another Try At Fixed Do). At that time, I reported early success with fifth and second grade students sight singing using the fixed do system. Since then, I have continued to be pleased with the results, and do not at this point … Continue reading Update on my Switch to Fixed Do
Music and Literacy–The Backbone of Musicianship
In my last post, I discussed the meaning of musicianship. Certainly, part of what goes into musicianship is the part of music literacy that is the generating of musical ideas. Literacy of any kind does not only include reading and writing, but also creating ideas and communicating them to others. In music, improvisers do this … Continue reading Music and Literacy–The Backbone of Musicianship
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