Sunday, June 19, 2011

"You Are My Sunshine"

Today's lesson is a listening exercise.  A big part of singing is listening.  This recording is of my two sisters and me singing "You Are My Sunshine".  Can you hear all three parts?  Is it duple or triple meter?  Duple feels like walking and triple feels like waltzing.  Can you find the tonic?  Remember that a song usually ends on the tonic.  Listen for other places in the melody where you hear the tonic.  Try pausing the recording at random places and singing the tonic.  If the melody is easy for you, try to sing along with one of the harmony parts.  One is above the melody and one is below.  You can also try to tap the rhythm in one hand and the beat in the other hand.  If that is all easy for you, try to write out the notation.  It is in C major and the melody starts on "so".  Have fun.