Sol-fa Syllables
The following series of short exercises should help you become more familiar with the sounds that can be derived from the major scale. Each of them uses the syllables do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, and do again. These are called sol-fa syllables. They are useful for becoming familiar with all the pitches of a major scale, and their positions in relation to the foundation note of the scale (do).
Sol-fa syllables are also useful for practicing many of the basic sounds used in singing. As you sing each of these exercises, remain as relaxed as possible and sing with an open flowing sound. Keep your posture straight and focus your voice straight ahead as if you were singing into a microphone at a comfortable height.
Do not "reach" for any of the notes as they get higher or lower, but simply allow the sounds to come out naturally. You may not be able to sing these exercises easily to begin with. Be patient and practice them regularly, but only for short periods of time at each session. There are three ways to learn these exercises.
- Sing from the written music. This is called sight singing and takes quite a while to develop. To learn to sight sing well, it is best to work with a teacher.
- Sing from the sol-fa syllables. You have probably heard them before and may find them a useful guide to the pitch of each note relative to do.
- Listen to each example and imitate the pitches until you have them all memorized.
The Three Four Time Signature
This time signature is called the three four time signature. It tells you there are three beats in each bar. Three four time is also known as waltz time. There are three quarter notes in one bar of time. The following example is in ^ time and is sung using sol-fa syllables.
The Dotted Half Note
A dot written after a note extends its value by half. A dot after a half note means that you hold it for three beats.
One dotted half note makes one bar of music in ^ time.
Here is a typical example of the way dotted half notes are used in ^ time. Go through and work out the sol-fa syllable for each note of the melody.
If you have trouble keeping accurate time while you are singing, try clapping the rhythms while counting the beats out loud and tapping your foot. This is a great way to practice any rhythm you have trouble with.
The letters and numbers written above the music (C, Em, etc) are chord symbols which relate to what the accompanying instruments are playing. Chords will be discussed in Lesson 9 . This example is sung using the syllable la.
The Eighth Note
This is an eighth note. It lasts for half a count. There are eight eighth * notes in one bar of time
When eighth notes are joined together the tails are replaced by one beam.
This example contains some common groupings of eighth notes, along with all the other note values you have learned. Clap the rhythms with your hands before singing this example and remember to count and tap your foot. Next, sing through the example using the syllable la.
The Dotted Quarter Note
A dot written after a quarter note means that you hold the note for one and a half beats.
A dotted quarter note is often followed by an eighth note.
Once you understand some of the basic concepts of how music is written, it becomes a lot easier to understand sheet music.
The following exercise, Silent Night, contains many of the things you have learned up to this point. It is in ^ time and the melody is made up of half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes, as well as dotted half notes and dotted quarter notes.
The final bar contains a whole rest which represents a full bar rest when used in ^ time. The song is made up entirely of notes from the major scale.
At this stage you may not be able to read all the individual pitches of the notes from the written music, so sing the melody by ear but pay close attention to the timing of the notes. If you have trouble, listen to the example and watch the written music as you listen. Count along with the music as you hear it.
On the recording you will hear a second voice in the background singing a different line to the melody. This is called a harmony. You will also hear a piano playing a chord and then a note before the count-in to the song begins.
This is to establish the sound of the key in your mind and give you the starting pitch before you begin singing. The chord is a C chord which establishes the sound for the key of C major.
The note following the chord is a G note, which is the starting note of the song. As you hear the C chord, think do in your mind, then as you hear the G note, think so. This process will happen with all the songs in this book.
When you sing with other musicians, get one of them to play the chord which establishes the key and then the starting note before you count the song in. This way you will always be confident of starting on the correct pitch and will easily hear its relationship to the key note (do).
2. Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia:
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!
3. Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiance beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
