Estimated reading time 2 minutes
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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
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Glossary
Tonic vs. Root in Music Theory: Are They the Same Thing? (Part 2)
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