For information about private lessons and questions, please visit me at Demetri4.com.
Here is the YouTube link to the video that goes with this blog:
Blog #18
"Sol" The Stick Man (ear training)
Objectives:
Use "Sol" The Stick Man to recognize the different notes in a Major Scale.
Work to internalize the placement of each note in relationship with your body as it stands inside the Sol-Feg Circle.
Practice hearing each note and identifying them.
Let's begin by looking at "Sol" The Stick Man Circle in your workbook. The sol-feg is in the same position on the Circle as the C Major scale (The Gold Standard).
Sol-feg: is the placement of identifiable singing tones to the scale degrees in the Major scale. The easiest way to understand the scale degrees is to get familiar with the Roman numeral practice discussed in Blog #9: Harmony -Primary Chords.
The Sol-feg order for the C Major scale is
C = Do (dough)
D = Re (ray)
E = Mi (me)
F = Fa (fa)
G = Sol (soul)
A = La (la)
B = Ti (tea)
The practice works best standing.
Start with playing the note C. Now, extend your left hand at shoulder height and sing Do.
Next, play note D. Extend both hands above your head and sing Re.
Next, play note E. Extend your right hand at shoulder height and sing Mi.
Next, play note F. Extend your right hand at waist height and sing Fa.
Next, play note G. Move your right foot to the right and sing Sol.
Next, play note A. Move your left foot to the left and sing La.
Next, play note B. Extend your left hand at waist height and sing Ti.
Finally, extend your left hand at shoulder height, returning to note C an octave higher, and sing Do.
Understand that the distance between Do and Re is twice that of Ti and Do. But, on the other hand, the distance between Re and Mi is the same as between Do and Re. What is amazing is that the distance between the notes and the distance between the hand position is the same. The practice of singing the sol-feg with the hand positions is helpful for understanding and internalizing. Note distinction is the most important skill you can acquire in musicianship.
Using "Sol," the stick man, the distance between notes becomes easily recognizable. That recognition of placement and spacing of the notes is the answer to correctly hearing, singing, and playing each note.
A whole step is two dots, and a half-step is one dot.
"Sol," the stick man, shows us.
The left hand extended at the shoulder to both hands over your head is a whole step.
Both hands overhead to the right hand extended at the shoulder is a whole step.
The right hand extended at the shoulder to the right hand extended at the waist is a half-step.
Right hand extended at the waist to your right foot extended to the right is a whole step.
Right foot extended to the right to your left foot extended to the left is a whole step.
Left foot extended to the left to your left hand extended at the waist is a whole step.
And finally, your left hand extended at the waist to your left hand extended at the shoulder is a half-step.
Looking at the "Sol" The Stick Man circle, we see how these positions fit perfectly on our Natural Note Circle (The Gold Standard). This placement helps us to understand each interval size and quality clearly.
Start slowly with the individual notes playing the note and singing the correct Sol-feg with the proper hand/foot position. As you become familiar with the Sol-feg order and the hand/foot positions, move to group a series of notes. Work with a partner whenever possible—testing each other. For example, one can play a note, and the other can sing the Sol-feg with the corresponding hand/foot position.
Demetri
For information about private lessons and questions, please visit me at Demetri4.com.
Here is the YouTube link to the video that goes with this blog:
