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Learn to Play in Harmony is a curriculum for learning how to read music by singing and playing the recorders. The solfege method assigns each note in the music scale with a syllable: do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do as heard in the song "doe a deer...ray a drop of golden sun...me a name I call myself." This curriculum starts with songs only using do, then do-re, then do-re-mi and so on. Melodies are songs from different countries and African American spirituals. Here are the steps for learning. My experience has been that those who learn with solfege and note names will build a tonal memory that over time will help you learn songs more quickly.
The Sing and Play Process of Learning
Learn the solfege
Practice the hand signs - it helps you remember the solfege
Practice the fingerings while singing the solfege - it helps your fingers get used to feeling the recorder wholes and hearing the melody and the solfege will help you remember the relationship between the pitches (steps or skips or repeated notes)
Play the note and think the solfege as you play
Learn the note names
Practice the fingerings while singing the note names - B-A-G - Taking time to do both of these steps will help you build your tonal memory stronger.
Play the notes and think the note names as you play
Learn the lyrics
Sing the lyrics in the language you are most familiar with then sing in the language your friends are most familiar with. This is a great way to memorize Bible verses!
Practice the fingerings while saying the lyrics.
Play the note and think the lyrics as you play.
Bring your own creativity
Once you've learned the song start improvising or creating your own version! Remember the rhythms are only simplified for learning.
Change the rhythms
Think of new lyrics.
Continue to learn more melodies and harmony
Reinforce Bible stories - I included page numbers for every song connecting to a Bible story from multiple children's Bibles.
Continue learning Bible verses, solfege, music theory and languages to sing in choir or with small ensembles in Level 2, 3, 4 and more. If you have any questions contact [email protected]. Happy singing!
