Christ Episcopal Church Choir in Alexandria, VA in Spring, 2005 - (Gail Multop)
Gail Multop's thoughts on sight reading:
I have been alto soloist for years. I have a degree from
C.I.M. I only wanted to share my thoughts on sight-reading.
I learned three
systems and love only one. I learned numbers (fixed do, I believe), and
solfege, which I hate. But what helped me the most and made me a good sight
reader was singing letter names, while picturing the keyboard in my head as
I read. I can sing almost any music this way.
Cole's Response:
Gail, thanks for your e-mail. You indeed, do use a form a fixed do by singing the actual name of the note. The reason (for myself) in not singing the note names is the in singing c# or b flat you're actually changing the notational value, i.e. a quarter note sung on c# then becomes two eighth notes or two sixteenth notes and at our festival rhythmic accuracy is judged along with pitch accuracy. I'm sure you have an exceptionally fine sense of pitch (as singing fixed do or the note names helps to develop excellent relative pitch for those that don't have "perfect pitch" (which I don't). I use fixed do with my students as the syllables are (to my ear) more musical than the word sharp or flat or ending everything with an ee syllable (a=ehee, b=bee, see, etc..). Again, thanks so much for visiting our web site. Have a Merry Christmas.
Greg Hebert's experience with
his Corona Del Sol High School Choral Program:
I have been the director there since 1994. When arriving at this 2000+ school, I walked into a program with a handful of students with keen musical skills. Unfortunately, there were only a few. With the program starting with 4 choirs and 90 students, it is now at 7 choirs, 2 directors, and 307 students.
I have a Masters in Choral Music from Arizona State University, where I studied with Dr. Don Bailey (currently at Baylor University).
I have found that using the moveable "do" system has worked well for my students. For minor modes, I stay in the relative key (e.g. in "a" minor, "a" is "la"). We also study all the chromatics (ascending and descending). When analyze key signatures, and use chromatics at all times. For rhythm reading, we sing with numbers (e.g. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +, etc.).
Although I agree that fixed "do" does teach intervals quite well, I find it hard to explain key signatures. Also, since many of my students have not played instruments, I find it hard to teach key signatures when using the fixed system. Singing in "C sharp" would be very difficult.
In conclusion, I truly believe that teaching movable "do" works for me, however, there is something that tells me if I tried the fixed system, I may be more successful. If time, please shed some light. Thanks for your time.
Cole's Response:
Greg, there is so little information on fixed do. All I can tell you is that Roger Wagner used it. Best sources would be to email the Eastman School of Music, Julliard School, or conservatories that would use it. Most aural harmony or ear training professors don't use it or know how to. I do know that Dr. Thomas Hillbish, University of Michigan (retired) and Dr. Jerry Blackstone, currently University of Michigan do use fixed do. I know Jerry and he is very approachable and would be happy to answer your questions as he used it. Other than that we have approximately 20 - 40 high school choral directors that are now using it with great success in Michigan, these are directors that want to move their students past the primary or intermediate level of sight reading at festivals. Have a wonderful Christmas vacation.
David Bauguess's different view of sight reading:
I applaud your efforts on behalf of teaching sight singing. I have a different view of your distinction of sight singing methods: Numbers and Movable Do are not two different methods! They are one method with two systems of naming notes. Here’s an analogy: In the field of therapy and counseling there are a number of methods of working with a client. Let’s say that in a particular therapy the use of positive affirmations is a method. The method and its effectiveness are not dependent on the language used—English, Spanish, German— assuming of course that the client knows the language.
The essence of the Movable Do (or Movable One!) method, and what distinguishes it from the Fixed Do method, is that it associates note names consistently with each note’s position (and tonal characteristics) relative to the key center, regardless of its absolute pitch. So, in major, the tonic pitch is always Do or One; the dominant pitch is always So or Five, etc. Whether it is called Do or One, the method is essentially the same. (I would say, however, that in the case of sight singing, I believe solfège syllables offer advantages over numbers—namely singability and the solfège names for chromatics.)
Cole's response:
Thanks for your note. In most cases I agree with you, however, I've had replies from those teaching movable do who also change (alter syllables within the movable scale) and I'm not totally sure how to classify those. I'm finding that there are many variations within the movable system. I wonder how many variations there are using numbers? When I first began teaching I used numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,1, but had no success with sharps or flats when the scale was altered.
I'm pleased to find that so many teachers are actually stressing sight reading within their classrooms. I know teachers in Michigan who drag out sight reading texts only two weeks before festival.
David Bauguess taught choral music at the high school level for 25 years, during which he was a committed and enthusiastic teacher of sight singing. Having experienced the many rewards of teaching musical literacy, motivation was never a problem! His work led to the development of sight singing materials: The Jenson Sight Singing Course and Sight Singing Made Simple. Now retired, he lives in Grand Junction, Colorado where he is a part-time technical writer and piano tuner.
| Gretchen Liechty Lynch, Kodaly trained teacher, challenges Fixed Do:
Choral teacher Gretchen Liechty Lynch uploaded a challenge to Cole's findings as to which sight reading system is best. She did some of her post graduate study at The Kodaly Institute in Hungry and has some very strong opinions on the subject.
Gretchen's and Cole's exchange >> |
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Gretchen Liechty Lynch
teaching sight-singing to her 4th grade class |
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Cole's Wrap-Up:
Here's the thing. Almost all, if not all, the comments (and criticisms) I've received about the "fixed do" system come from teachers who haven't tried using it. I've tried all three major systems, numbers, "movable do" and "fixed do". At the annual Michigan Midwest Music Conference I talked with Dr. Jerry Blackstone of the University of Michigan . He uses "fixed do" with his Chamber Singers. Dr Eric Johnson of Northern Illinois University uses "movable do" BUT in modes or melodic minor adjusts or changes the syllables to reflect the accidentals. So why not learn one set of syllables for every note? Yes. It takes some time to learn the new syllables. Most music teachers already know do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. Changing the syllables to indicate sharps and flats is really not that difficult as you start with the principal that "ah" and "oh" vowels represent flats and "ee" and "eh" vowels represents sharps. Average high school students (grades 9-12) can learn them in three to six months of daily use (and I stress daily). My students have completed all the exercises in Sight Reading: The "Fixed Do" Method used in conjunction with Melodia Volumes I and II as well as a hymnal. This was accomplished before Christmas break. In January we will begin reading various Bach Chorales in preparation for sight reading at the advance level at our Choral Festivals run under the auspices of the Michigan School Vocal Music Association at end of February and beginning of March.
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