Comments on: Learning music http://TheOldSongs.com/2006/10/23/learning-music/ Barbershop music, craft, & community from a director's viewpoint Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:07:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Woody http://TheOldSongs.com/2006/10/23/learning-music/#comment-9 Woody Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:34:42 +0000 http://TheOldSongs.com/2006/10/23/learning-music/#comment-9 Non-readers need a 'me sing you sing' tutorial approach. Sight-singing classes for new members bring a good amount of confidence to new members. Chorus section leaders should be advanced enough to teach sight singing techniques. That will bring a strong personal touch to the learning of the music. Non-readers need a ‘me sing you sing’ tutorial approach. Sight-singing classes for new members bring a good amount of confidence to new members. Chorus section leaders should be advanced enough to teach sight singing techniques. That will bring a strong personal touch to the learning of the music.

]]> By: rquinn http://TheOldSongs.com/2006/10/23/learning-music/#comment-8 rquinn Wed, 01 Nov 2006 20:39:14 +0000 http://TheOldSongs.com/2006/10/23/learning-music/#comment-8 Here are some techniques on the memorization bit that I use: *Sectionals work wonders on learning the music and getting singers out of the music. *The first time I run a piece of music I make certain we leave the piece by singing the first section, perhaps the introduction or just the first few measures, without looking at music, but looking at me, the director, instead. * I tell the singers to stand and sing this song to me. I don't ask them to get out the music, we just sing it and they find out they know it better than they think they do. I then go back and fix a spot or two and end by singing the piece without music. *I don't mouth the words when they look at me. I ask them to "tell me the story"! It works wonders. Here are some techniques on the memorization bit that I use:

*Sectionals work wonders on learning the music and getting singers out of the music.
*The first time I run a piece of music I make certain we leave the piece by singing the first section, perhaps the introduction or just the first few measures, without looking at music, but looking at me, the director, instead.
* I tell the singers to stand and sing this song to me. I don’t ask them to get out the music, we just sing it and they find out they know it better than they think they do. I then go back and fix a spot or two and end by singing the piece without music.
*I don’t mouth the words when they look at me. I ask them to “tell me the story”! It works wonders.

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