practice with simple and compound beat division

Time signatures can be divided into two categories depending on their beat division.  Simple meter songs use a duple beat division.  Examples are: 2/4, 4/4, 3/4, 2/2.  Compound meter songs use a triple beat division.  Examples are: 6/8, 9/8, 12/8.  Today's lesson gives you practice reading rhythms in simple and compound meter.

"At Summer Morn" in 3/8

On July 17th I posted a hammered dulcimer version of the round "At Summer Morn".  In today's lesson I use this same song to give you sight singing practice in G major and 3/8 time.  3/8 is triple meter and can be counted in one or three depending on the tempo.  On the video I sing it slowly enough to count three beats in each measure.  The eighth note represents the beat.  A faster tempo would be counted with one beat per measure with the dotted quarter note representing the beat.  The beat would then be divided into three parts for the triple meter feel.  This triple division of the beat is often called compound time as opposed to simple time which has the beat divided into two parts.  Several previous lessons go into more detail about this:

Feb. 16 - Compound Time Signatures
Feb. 17 - Simple or Compound?
Feb. 18 - Triple Meter: Simple and Compound  (part 1)
Feb. 20 - Triple Meter:  Simple and Compound (part 2)

Now All the Woods Are Waking

I finally got my issue with Google Docs solved and can share the recording of Community Singers singing the round "Now All the Woods Are Waking" at our practice this week.

sight singing a mystery song

I had planned to put a recording of the round "Now All the Woods Are Waking" on my blog today, but I am having trouble getting into my Google docs account.  I will post it as soon as I can.

Today's lesson gives you practice sight singing a simple folk song in the key of C major.  Pause the video at the beginning to see if you can figure out the song.  It has a small range (drmfs) and very simple rhythms (quarter, 2 eighths, quarter rest).  The second half of the lesson gives you practice singing simple harmonies by following the notes in the chord progression.  The song uses only the I (one) and V (five) chords.  The I chord is named that because it is a triad built on the first degree of the scale (C in the key of C major).  The V chord is a triad built on the fifth degree of the scale (G in the key of C major).

sight singing practice in major using s drmfsltd

Today's lesson gives you sight singing practice with the song "Now All the Woods Are Waking".  The melody is all scale wise motion with the exception of the skip from "so" up to "do" and back down again.  It uses all of the tones in the D major scale and extends down to the "so" below "do".  Pause at the beginning and see if you can sight sing it on your own. 

good intentions

I had good intentions of doing my blog while I am on vacation, but I am just having too much fun visiting, tie dying and planning a wedding shower for my nephew.  I will be back to my lessons on Monday.  Have a good weekend.

a new round

I am excited to have new strings on my hammered dulcimer.  It was long overdue since I haven't ever put new strings on it and I bought it 17 years ago.  I was on my way to a music workshop in Harrisonburg, Virginia, so I drove through Bedford, Virginia and visited James Jones' dulcimer workshop.  He built my dulcimer back in 1992.  He spiffed it up with new strings and a proper dusting.  I forgot my electronic tuner, so I spent a long time this morning tuning with only a pitch pipe and my ears. 

Since I am away from my video recorder for this week, I will do some audio recording.  Here is a pretty little round in triple meter that I just learned from one of my round books.  I accompany it on my hammered dulcimer.  fyi...Philomel means nightingale.

At Summer Morn
At summer morn the merry lark heralds in the day.
At eventide sad Philomel breathes her plaintive lay.
Warbling sweetly all her grief away.