21M.301  Harmony and Counterpoint I

Sightsinging Lab: Last Assignment

Hi all!

For our last week, the assignment is to sing (and record) the melody of any song you enjoy on solfege. I explain it more in the Youtube video and also give an example: Taylor Swift's "Shake it Off." You may also complete the assignment by recording yourself singing along with me if you prefer. Recordings may be submitted in stellar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3eoHICeEoI&feature=youtu.be

Have a great end to the semester!

Best wishes,
-Mark David

Announced on 04 May 2020  3:50  p.m. by Mark David Buckles

Sightsinging Lab Assignments this Week

Dear students,

This week, our sightsinging exercise explores listening to and singing primary chord in root position and first inversion (sometimes harder than it seems).

Please watch the video below and record yourself singing the arpeggios of the two chord progressions. You may sing along with the youtube video, or with a piano (or app) as an aid. Please post your recordings to the homework section on Stellar. The pdf of the exercise is also on Stellar in the sightsinging tab, as is the score to the next piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv54JYYC4-g&feature=youtu.be

Secondly, please listen to Palestrina's "Sicut Cervus" and follow along with the score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yd5EE0hAB8

The notes and rhythms are mostly "easy." Although there is almost no chromaticism in the motet (a few raised scale degree fours (Fi) pop up), the difficulty lies in the polyphonic texture. Unlike most of the music we've listened to and sung, all the parts are moving at different times. You have to count and keep your place!

Choose whatever voice part you prefer. You may want to print a copy (or annotate the pdf) to write in the solfege. Then record yourself singing along for the whole piece.

The recordings are due Friday 8pm MIT time.

Don't forget to enjoy the beautiful music!

Best wishes,
-Mark David

Announced on 28 April 2020  1:43  p.m. by Mark David Buckles

Sightsinging Lab assignments this week

Dear students,

This week, there is an interval training exercise and a piece of fabulous choral music.

First, chromatic interval training. Please watch the video below and record yourself singing the intervals. You may sing along with the youtube video, or with a piano (or app) as an aid. Please post your recordings to the homework section on Stellar. The pdf of the exercise is also on Stellar in the sightsinging tab, as is the score to the next piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3KuLwxGCu8&feature=youtu.be

Secondly, please listen to Mendelssohn's "Verleih Uns Frieden" and follow along with the score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEQSCeporv0

Record yourself singing the bass part (the main theme) on solfege from square A to C. Notice how this music repeats in different voice parts and instruments throughout. Note the use of the D-flat (Te in E-flat) in the melody. Mendelssohn's uses this note throughout the composition. It's a real gem of a piece and I hope you enjoy listening and singing along!

Best wishes,
-Mark David

Announced on 22 April 2020  8:36  p.m. by Mark David Buckles

Sightsinging Lab: Record yourself singing

Dear students,

Unfortunately, the honor system hasn't been working so well, as the videos have barely been being watched, so from here forward, we'll be requiring you to submit recordings of yourself singing various exercises and pieces.

For this week, it will be two of the exercises from last time (if you already did them, you'll be ahead of the game.)

1) Practice singing ascending and descending chromatic scales in several keys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU4JqQ9Duck

Record yourself singing an ascending and descending chromatic scale in any two keys of your choice from the video.

2) A snippet from The Legend of Zelda to help practice chromatic lower neighbors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH1l9xe6gnE&feature=youtu.be

Record yourself singing the exercise.

Recordings can be submitted through the assignments module on stellar (like many of your other classes) and are due on Friday at 5pm.

Thanks and best wishes,
-Mark David

Announced on 15 April 2020  12:06  p.m. by Mark David Buckles

301 Sightsinging Lab Exercises this week

Hi all,

This week, we'll mostly be practicing using chromaticism in solfège.

1) As a warmup, and for those of you that would like more general interval practice, this video practicing singing all the major and minor 2nds and 3rds within the major scales.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bD0gcayvAE

2) In the next video, we practice singing ascending and descending chromatic scales in several keys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU4JqQ9Duck

3) Then, a snippet from The Legend of Zelda to help practice chromatic lower neighbors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH1l9xe6gnE&feature=youtu.be

4) Finally, the first movement of Vivaldi's Gloria. Find the score (and the other exercises) on Stellar. Follow along and listen. Pick a voice part and write in all the solfege. Notice especially the chromatic sections. Sign along with the recording on solfege.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5Txwlv081K39njx353jh7r

Let me know if you have any questions!
Best wishes,
-Mark David

Announced on 06 April 2020  5:09  p.m. by Mark David Buckles