Sunday, July 10, 2011

ear training with dulcimer

Today was the Charlotte Folk Society's Ice Cream social at the Historic Rosedale Plantation.  After a delightful (despite the heat) afternoon of playing dulcimer and fiddle and singing I came home to do my music lesson for the day.  I had lots of music from the day going through my mind, but the song that came to me when I sat down with my dulcimer was "Polly Wolly Doodle".  I haven't sung or thought about that song in years.  It was one I enjoyed singing in elementary school.  Maybe the old fashioned feel of the day at Rosedale triggered the memory or maybe it was trying to think of a song with lots of the pattern drm.  Anyway, today's lesson is ear training on the dulcimer with "Polly Wolly Doodle".  You will echo the phrases by singing the solfege which stays within the range tdrmfs with the tonic being “do”.  You will also find the tonic when I stop the song at random places.  It is always important to know where the tonal center of the song is.  This will help you sing in tune.