Carol Raedy

Sight Singing Crash Course: Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Wed, 02 May 2012 23:53:00 +0000

I will teach part 3 of my Sight Singing Crash Course this Saturday, May 5th, 10-12 at my home in Charlotte. The cost is $20.00. You are welcome to come even if you haven't been at part 1 and 2, but you might want to look at these Sight Singing Lessons to see what you've missed.

Overview of Part 3:
*syncopated rhythms (introduction)
*dotted rhythms (practice)
*rhythms in simple and compound meter (practice)
*key signatures (major and minor)
*lots of practice sight singing in various keys and time signatures

great lead sheet website

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:08:00 +0000

I found this really great wiki site for lead sheets, www.wikifonia.org. You can print out a nice clean copy of a melody line with chords and lyrics. The coolest thing about the site is that it will transpose to any key that you choose.

classes for May and June

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:19:00 +0000

I am offering the following classes at my home in May and June. Please contact me by phone or email to register and/or for more information.

*Sight Singing Crash Course: Part 3 of 4 (See posts below for material covered in parts 1 and 2)

Saturday, May 5, 10:00-12:00, $20.00

*Everybody Sing: A Class for Shy Singers

Wednesday evenings, May 16, 23 and 30, 7:00-8:30, $45.00
There is an African proverb that goes: “If you can walk you can dance, if you can talk you can sing.” This class will help you find or reclaim your singing voice in a fun and non-threatening atmosphere. Ages 14-adult

*Make a One-String Banjo (rain cancels)

Saturday, May 19, The project takes 30 minutes to an hour.
Come anytime between 10AM and 1PM. All ages
$15.00/banjo (includes a song/instruction booklet)

*Singing Harmony by Ear

Monday evenings, June 11, 18 and 25, 7:00-8:30, $45.00
Learn to use the chordal structure of a song to find and sing harmonies. The only requirement for this class is that you can match pitch. Ages 14-adult

*Ukulele Crash Course

Saturdays June 23 and 30, 10:00-12:00
$45.00 (includes an instruction/songbook) Ages 14-adult
You will learn basic chords, strumming patterns and how to transpose any song into a ukulele friendly key. I can order you a nice sounding Lanikai ukulele for $55.00 if you let me know by May 31st.

Sight Singing Crash Course - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 22:45:00 +0000

I will hold part two of my Sight Singing Crash Course on Saturday March 31, 10am-12noon at my home in Charlotte. Contact me for more information and for the address.

What we'll cover in the class:
*time signatures (how many beats per measure and how is the beat divided)
*dotted rhythms
*rhythms with sixteenth notes
*rhythms in simple (2/4, 3/4, 4/4) and compound (6/8, 9/8) meter
*C major scale with solfege (do, re, mi,...) and note names
*melodies in major and natural minor that have mostly stepwise motion
*melodies that outline the tonic triad
*hearing the tonal center

Click here for lessons that review what we did in Part 1.

Sing and Ring Along

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:16:00 +0000

I will host a Community Sing and Ring Along at my home (7107 Valley Haven Drive, Charlotte, 28211) on Sunday, February 19, 2PM-4PM. We will sing a variety of songs and accompany ourselves on hand chimes. This event is for all ages and you don't need to read music. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Please let me know if you are coming so that I know how many to expect.

Sight Singing Crash Course

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:10:00 +0000

If you enjoy singing or playing an instrument and would like to learn to read music, then this class is for you. Being able to read music is a wonderful, liberating skill that enhances your ability to learn by ear. It allows you to sing or play a new song just as you would read a new book.

Sight singing (as opposed to sight reading with an instrument) is especially useful because you need only your voice to make music. Singers often rely on a piano to play the music before singing it. This is not necessary. Once you learn to recognize the relationships of the notes to one another, sight singing is not so difficult. We will use the moveable "do" system of solfege to learn these relationships. Don't worry if you don't know what this means. The first session will start at the very beginning...You know, just like in The Sound of Music.

The class will meet once a month on Saturday morning, 10-12 at my home in Charlotte (email me for the address) starting on March 3rd. and continuing on April 7th, May 5th and June 9th. This is not a lecture class. We will be making music as we learn about music. Each session will build on the knowledge and understanding from previous sessions, but you can still participate even if you can't make all of the sessions. The cost is $20.00/session and you only pay for the sessions you attend. You will receive a listening CD and handouts that will correspond to what we do in the sessions. After each session I will post follow up lessons and an overview of the next session.

Overview of March 3rd Sight Singing Session (it's a lot...remember this is a crash course)
The musical alphabet (What is a note and why do we name them?)
The musical staff
Note equivalencies (types of notes and how they are all related)
What is a scale?
What is a key and why is it important to know?
Major and minor keys
Steady beat and meter (is it a march or a waltz?)
Rhythms using quarter, eighth and half notes and rests
Songs using do re mi fa so (the first five notes in a major scale)
Songs using so la do re mi so la (i.e. Tom Dooley, Amazing Grace, Swing Low)

How Deeply You're Connected to My Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:43:00 +0000

This is a great song. I am singing the melody and two harmony parts. Listen and try to hear each of the parts.

How could anyone ever tell you that you're anything less than beautiful?
How could anyone ever tell you that you're less than whole?
How could anyone fail to notice that you're loving is a miracle?
How deeply you're connected to my soul

Come Follow Me in Bb major

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Today's lesson gives you practice sight singing with the round "Come, Follow Me" in the key of Bb major. This round was written by John Hilton (1599-1657). It is great for practicing a diatonic major scale (drmfsltd) and also descending thirds in various places (s-m, f-r, m-d, r-t, d-l).

Lyrics:
Come, follow me
Whither shall I follow thee?
To the greenwood tree

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:17:00 +0000

I filmed this video when I was visiting my family in Emory, Virginia over the holidays. You'll probably need to enlarge it to full screen or else the deer just look like small dots with an occasional white tail.

Merry Christmas 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 11:02:00 +0000

The Night Before Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:29:00 +0000

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "The Night Before Christmas" by Carly Simon. I heard it first on an Amy Grant Christmas recording from 1992. My favorite part is the last verse. Enjoy this live recording from the 2005 Saint Patrick's Elementary School Christmas Program in Charlotte, North Carolina. The entire student body sings with student accompaniment on recorders and piano.

The Night Before Christmas by Carly Simon

Children carry through the streets a brightly painted star

Angels gather round the hearth strumming on guitars

And men of great renown and faith say prayers on boulevards

On the night before Christmas

You don't have to be an angel to sing harmony

You don't have to be a child to love the mystery

You don't have to be a wise man on bended knee

The heart of this Christmas is in you and me.

If your heart's been longing; you've been afraid to try

Sorrow's kept you company and the dance has passed you by

I'll lift you up and blaze with you across the moonlit sky

On the night before Christmas

Maoz Tzur at Charlotte Folk Society

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:42:00 +0000

Today is the first day of Hanukkah. The root of the word "hanukkah" is "dedicate". This Jewish festival of lights celebrates the rededication of the holy temple in Jerusalem after many years of oppression. Though the story is part of the Jewish tradition, the message of hope is universal:

Yours the message cheering,
That the time is nearing,
Which will see all people free,
Tyrants disappearing

In honor of the first day of Hanukkah listen to Community Singers performing Maoz Tzur at the Charlotte Folk Society's holiday potluck dinner with Shlomo Snir singing the solo.

singing the circle of fifths

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:51:00 +0000

I finally have my singing voice back. In today's lesson you'll hear the circle of fifths as I sing the scales for each of the keys. The scales are represented on the chart vertically and the fifth progression goes horizontally. Go back to my post from 11/21 if you need the introduction to the circle of fifths.

How Can I Keep From Singing

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:53:00 +0000

I have been putting off recording a new singing lesson until my singing voice returns, so I thought I would share an old recording of me singing and playing (hammered dulcimer) one of my favorite songs, "How Can I Keep From Singing" with "Simple Gifts".

Ukulele Crash Course in January

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:24:00 +0000

Saturdays, January 14^thand Jan. 21^st
10 AM – 12 NOON, $45.00
You will learn basic chords, strumming patterns and how to transpose any song into a ukulele friendly key. You'll have fun making music with others. The cost includes an instruction/songbook. The class will be held at my home and is open to age 14 and up. For an additional $55.00 I will supply a nice sounding Lanikai soprano ukulele. If you want to give the ukulele and class as a gift, you can pick up the ukulele from me in December. Send me an email to register.

circle of fifths

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:26:00 +0000

The circle of fifths is a very helpful way to organize the musical keys into a chart that has many uses. I have written the circle of fifths in two ways in the charts below. It is not obvious from looking at them why it is called a "circle". Bear with me and I will explain. In the first chart, you will see that each scale is written vertically. The name of the major scale or key is written in blue. The relative minor key is written in pink. You can start with any key on the chart and the key to its right will be up a perfect fifth and the key to its left will be down a perfect fifth. Here is an example: C major is in the center of the chart. The key to the right of C major is G major which is a perfect fifth up. The key to the left of C major is F major which is down a perfect fifth. Pick any note on the chart: the note to its right will be up a perfect fifth and the note to its left will be down a perfect fifth.

One useful feature of the circle of fifths chart is that it will help you understand key signatures. You'll notice that as you move by columns (each column is a key or scale) progressively to the right of C major each column adds a new sharp while keeping the ones from the previous column. As you move progressively to the left from C major, each column adds a new flat. The video will explain this a bit more and also explain the "circle" part.

more sight singing practice

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 12:21:00 +0000

Today's lesson gives you practice sight singing in the key of E major in the bass clef. The key of E major has four sharps in the key signature, F#, C#, G# and D#. The time signature is cut time which is the same as 2/2 time with the half note getting the beat. If the rhythms pose any problem, you can slow it down and count it in 4/4 time with the quarter note getting the beat. Speed it back up and tap only the first and third quarter note in each measure and you have cut time.

Tie Dye Sale on Nov. 12-13

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:14:00 +0000

I will have a sale of my hand-dyed textiles on Saturday and Sunday, November 12-13, noon-6 PM at my home, 7107 Valley Haven Drive, Charlotte, 28211. Get a head start on your holiday shopping or buy something for yourself. If you don't need to buy anything, then just come by for some cookies and tea and conversation. If you'd like to see my tie dye but can't make it on Saturday or Sunday, give me a call or email and we can set up another time for you to come by. I also have some items for sale at The Bag Lady in Charlotte, The Harvest Table in Meadowview, Virginia and Made in Glade Spring, Virginia. Here are some samples of some of the items I will have for sale on November 12-13 including shirts, skirts, baby onesies, pants, napkins, placemats, tablecloths and scarves. I also do custom dying if you have an item that you'd like to have refurbished like white napkins or a table cloth that you don't use because of stains.

sight singing practice in F major

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:14:00 +0000

The song for today's lesson is a very familiar hymn, so pause the video after you get your starting pitch and try to figure it out on your own.

more practice with singing note names in C major

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:32:00 +0000

Today's lesson gives you practice singing the note names in C major in the bass clef. The song uses drmfs (CDEFG) in the melody. The chords are the I (CEG) and V (GBD). For more information about chords go to Lesson 68.

singing note names for I and V7 chords in G major

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:32:00 +0000

Today's lesson gives you practice singing the notes in G major with two harmony parts for the first phrase of "Down in the Valley" and the notes in the I (G) and V7 (D) chords.

singing note names in F major and G major

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:52:00 +0000

Today's lesson gives you more practice sight singing absolute note names. You'll see a familiar song written in two keys in treble and bass clefs. It is good to know the notes in both clefs even if you primarily will read one clef. Notes for sopranos and altos are written in the treble clef. Notes for tenors can be written in the bass clef or in treble clef with their notes sounding an octave below what is written. Of course, it makes logical sense that the basses read their notes from the bass clef; but, if a song is written with melody only as in many songbooks and rounds, it is often written in the treble clef and the tenors and basses have to sing it down an octave. Such is the treble biased reality of choral music. It may have something to do with the fact that elementary music teachers (I am one of them) mostly teach the treble clef as this is where the range of a child's voice lies. If you learn how to sight sing notes as they relate to the tonal center (solfege singing), you will be able to take any piece of music and sing or play it in the key you wish. Pretty cool.

singing note names in G major and C major

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:47:00 +0000

Up to this point in the lessons we have been singing only the solfege syllables in order to get the relationships of the notes strongly in your mind and ear. As I have said before, this solfege singing using a movable "do" enables you to sing in any key as long as you know where the tonic is.

Although it is not necessary to know all of the note names to sight sing, it is desirable to know them so that you can talk about music. You might also want to use your knowledge of music reading to learn to play an instrument. Today's lesson gives you practice singing the actual note names for "Little Drops of Water" in C major and G major. The tone set for the song is drmfs and the rhythms are very simple with quarter, paired eighths and half notes.

solo sight singing in F major

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:22:00 +0000

Today's lesson gives you sight singing practice in F major. Pause the video at the beginning and see if you can do it on your own. The time signature is cut time, but you can count it is 4 if that makes it easier. Watch for several syncopated rhythms. The tone set is s tdrmfs with the tonic as "do". Have fun.

listening for chord changes to sing harmonies

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 01:13:00 +0000

Today's lesson gives you more practice singing harmonies by ear with "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" in the key of G. The chords used are I, IV and V.