Introduction

1. Basic Idea
    This is an online sight singing training arrangement which uses computer notation softwares, sound clipping, animation, images editing and the other computer technologies. This program is suitable for students in junior high school level. They can get self-training online base on their own levels. They can also choose major or minor, single or double-part melody, follow the tune which plays automatically on the computer and sing. There are three choices for double-part sight-singing drills: accompany with the vary part they sing, accompany with the other part, or accompany with two-part melodies.

2. Function
    Making Images: After finished writing each melody via notation software, I made a screen shot for the score and used Photoshop to clip out the rest part of the score picture and saved the score as a jpg file. For those melodies that have more than two pages, I made a gif file instead of jpg file and made each line display as long as the tune goes.
    Making Sound: I used CN1.80 to record the music played by the computer notation software in my laptop; I found Overtune3 plays much better sound than Sibelius in my computer, so I used Overtune3 to play music and recorded it. Also, I played an e-metronome (which I downloaded from www.earpower.com) at the actual tempo and meter as the melody and recorded the sound again. At last, I pasted these two sound files together and converted them into a mp3 file. (see examples at "Metronome Ready" melody)
    Web page setting: I used HTML code for common pages. For the sight-singing windows that eject as a small window from the parent window when clicking, I use Javascript code to make them.

    Software and technology used:
HTML and Javascript code, etc.

Two Singing Ways

1. Movable "Do" Singing Way:
    Base on the key signature of a melody, the singer regards the tonic of this major key as "Do,"the supertonic as "Re," the mediant as "Mi," and so forth. So "Do" differs from different key signatures. This way is suitable for voice leaner and will help them developing a relative pitch.
The red notes refer to the "Do" places of each key.

    Here, you will find "Do"(red notes) differs from each key.

2. Fixed "Do" Singing Way:
    No matter what key signature a melody has, the singer always regards C as "Do," D as "Re," E as "Mi," and so forth. This way is used for musical instrument leaner and helps them developing a perfect pitch.
The red notes refer the "Do" places of each key. e. g.:

Here you will find "Do" remains at the same place ---C in different keys.

The Criterion of Three Levels

• Meter: 2/4 and 4/4
• Rhythm: whole note, half note and quarter note
• Interval: whole step, half step, major third, minor third, perfect fourth and perfect fifth (Natural intervals)
• Key: C major and A minor
• Type and length: Treble clef, less than 8 measures

Level 2

• Meter: 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4
• Rhythm: Eighth note and all notes of Level 1
• Interval: major sixth, minor sixth, octave and all intervals at Level (natural intervals)
• Key: F major, D minor, G major, E minor and all Level 1 keys
• Type and length: Treble clef or bass clef, less than 12 measures

Level 3

• Meter: 3/8, 6/8, 2/2 and all meters at Level 1 and 2
• Rhythm: sixteenth note, syncopation, triplet and all notes at Level 1 and 2
• Interval: Augmented fifth, diminished fourth, major seventh and all intervals at Level 1 and 2
• Key: D major, B minor, Bb major, G minor, A major, F# minor, Eb major, C minor and all keys at Level 1 and 2
• Type and length: Treble clef or bass clef, less than 16 measures

Double-part Drills: Including all knowledge of three levels

Now, click on the melodies of your level and enjoy your drills!

Reminder: In order to get the correct tune and general impression of this melody, you can listen to the melody and sing it in your mind at the first time, then use the "pause" bottom to echo each section of the melody at the second time.

*Level 1
Melody 1 Melody 2 Melody 3 Melody 4

*Level 2
Melody 1 Melody 2 Melody 3 Melody 4(Metronome Ready)

*Level 3
Melody 1 Melody 2 Melody 3 Melody 4

*Double-part Drills:
Melody 1 Melody 2(Metronome Ready)

Resource and Bibliography

  William Duckworth "A Creative Approach to Music Fundamentals" Sixth Edition, Wadsworth Publishing Company

  Robert W. Ottoman"Music For Sight Singing" College of Music University of North Texas

  Allen Irvine McHose and Ruth Northup Tibbs "Sight Singing Manual" Third Edition, Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc. New York

  Edited With Annotations by Percy. Young "Kodaly Choral Method 333 ---Elementary Exercises In Sight Singing" Boosey & Hawkes

  Jane Franzee With Kent Kreuter "Discovering Orff---A Curriculum for Music Teachers" Schott Music Corporation, New York, 1987

Copyright by Dafu Lai. All Rights Reserved.

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