Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Color Code the Musical Form for LD & Special Needs Students
Have you ever had your student get totally lost while trying to read the music score? I have. Color coding in music lessons is not limited to just notes and rhythms. You can also color code the musical form to help students with confusing signs of repetition. Read more to learn how to color code the musical form.
LD and special needs students are not alone in getting confused. Typical learners often struggle with the signs of repetition too.
This article uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
Why Color Code the Musical Form? - Repetition Signs
Long after the invention of printed text, musical scores continued to be hand copied. To save time and money, composers invented repetition symbols.
The symbols allow longer musical pieces to be notated in smaller spaces. They also helped shape the form of the music. However, this meant that the eye had to jump around the score to follow the music.
Even if musicians do not confuse the repetition symbols, they may still find it difficult to follow the score. Color coding the musical form helps solve this issue.
It creates a guide for the eyes to follow. The color also helps make the repetition signs pop off of the page.
How Color Coding the Form Works
The following diagram shows how color coded circles and lines can help clarify the order in which the parts of the score are played.
At the bottom of the diagram is a guide showing which color coded line or circle comes first, second, and so on. The color keeps the students from getting confused about where to go next in the score.
Have the students trace their fingers over the score, following the color coded form.
Mobile users: for best results reading the music, tilt your screen 90o to the right.
Conclusion
Adults often balk at color coding notes and rhythms. However, color coding the musical form is effective for any age range.
LD, ADD, ASD, and other special needs students particularly benefit from colorized scores. Using multisensory teaching strategies can help students avoid mistakes and encourage success.
© 2020 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online music lessons today!
Glossary
Do I Need Talent to Write Music and Compose Lyrics?
Do you need talent to write music and compose lyrics for a song? Or can you get by using music theory and compositional techniques? We’ll talk about that and a whole lot more in today’s post. Click to answer the question, “Do I need talent to write music and compose lyrics for a song?” Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Read More
Sight Singing Chromatic Shape Notes
Do you have basic sight singing down, but want more than seven notes? “Sight Singing Chromatic Shape Notes” shows you how to sing sharps. In the last shape note post, we sang the first half of the chorus from "You’re a Grand Old Flag." In this post, we will sing the second half of the chorus. However, we will need to learn how to sing sharp notes to do this. Read more to learn about sight singing chromatic shape notes. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Read More
Explore Bach’s Hypnotic Choral Music in Less Than Four Minutes
Would you like to peruse Johann Sebastian Bach’s music but are short on time? Along with Mozart and Beethoven, J.S. Bach is one of the three composers that the person on the street will recognize by name. His music is celebrated for its intricate counterpoint and emotional intensity. Keep reading to explore Bach’s hypnotic choral music in less than four minutes. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Read More
Singing Rhythm Syllables in 6-8 Time
Having trouble singing 6-8 rhythms? Do you find compound meter (such as 6-8, 9-8, and 12-8) confusing? The sing-along soundtracks will help! Read more to learn about singing rhythm syllables in 6-8 time. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read More