Wednesday, June 29, 2011

syncopated rhythms in cut time

The song for today's lesson is "Gaudeamus Hodie".  I learned this song many years ago, but I can't remember where.  I think it was in Girl Scouts.  I remember singing it in Latin and English.  As I recall we sang, "O, be joyful, O, be jubilant, Put your troubles far away" and I forget the rest.  It is a really fun round and is good practice with syncopated rhythms.  It is notated in 2/2 which makes it easier to read the rhythms.  In today's lesson we'll sing the melody with the solfege tone ladder and read the rhythms.  If you want a challenge you can write out the melody on staff paper in the bass clef.  The song is in A major.  Part two is the easiest to notate because it just goes up the scale.  Tomorrow's lesson will have the notation so you can check yourself.