Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Table of Contents
Shape Notes and Singing Dotted Eighth Note Rhythms
Have you mastered reading basic sixteenth notes rhythmic syllables and want to be able to perform dotted eighth note/sixteenth note pairs? The more complex the rhythm becomes, the more fun you’ll have with the melodies. Read more to learn about singing dotted eighth note rhythm.
For a detailed discussion of shape notes, read:
The song track uses a synthetic voice rather than actual voices. Research has shown that this will help with the ability to identify and produce absolute pitch information. For more information, read:
This article uses music terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
The Rhythmic Table for Singing Dotted Eighth Note Rhythm
- Before we can start singing dotted eighth note rhythms, we need to cover the general rhythmic syllables. The table below shows the Kodaly syllables: the rhythmic value, the rhythmic symbol, and the rhythmic syllable linked with each rhythmic value.
- For a general description of how sixteenth notes work see: Singing Sixteenth Note Rhythmic Syllables: Rhythmic Table.
- Since we’ll be focusing on dotted eighth note/sixteenth note pairs, The Battle Hymn of the Republic will be a good choice for our song.
- The sing-along song track creates a sound model for the dotted eighth note/sixteenth note pairs. In addition, I specifically chose the track’s tuning with the goal in mind of developing your melodic intonation. As you listen to the distance between the notes, this helps foster your mental pitch template for melodic intervals.
- Want to hear the rhythmic syllables? The video below teaches them, including how to perform the dotted eight note/sixteenth note rhythmic pairs.
Mobile users: for best results reading the music, tilt your screen 90o to the right.
Rhythmic Table
Kodaly Rhythmic Syllables Video
The Battle Hymn of the Republic and Singing Dotted Eighth Note Rhythm
The Battle Hymn of the Republic:
- Sing the syllables below the sheet music as you sing with the song track. Breathe at the rests. Otherwise, if you run out of breath, your pitch will sink, making you go out of tune.
- After you’ve sung through the song track with the solfege syllables, try singing the dotted eighth note rhythms. (The rhythmic syllables appear above the sheet music, while the solfege syllables appear below it.)
- Just for fun, the following video of The Battle Hymn of the Republic has the full song and includes lyrics.
The Battle Hymn of the Republic Video
Singing Dotted Eighth Note Rhythm: Quiz
When you’ve mastered The Battle Hymn of the Republic, try the quiz. Sing the dotted eighth note rhythms, then the solfege syllables (not provided).
Concluion
Shape notes create a multisensory experience. They not only help typical learners sight sing better, but they also provide an access point to music for special needs, LD, ADD, and autistic vocalists.
Practice every day singing the dotted eighth note rhythms with the song track. In no time at all you’ll be able to chant them effortlessly.
© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today!
Glossary
The Successful Music Student Celebrates 100 Blog Posts
I’m excited to share that I’ve posted my 100th blog article. My goal is to deliver fun, relevant, and insightful content that’s chock-full of soundtracks, vibrant images, and videos. I hope you like what you’ve seen so far. If you have, please visit again. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Read More
How to Color Code Guitar Tab to Empower LD Achievement
Tablature creates a picture of the guitar neck. However, many LD students become confused by tab despite its visual appearance. In other words, they become dazzled by the shimmer created by the contrast of the black and white lines of the notation. Color-coding the strings helps reduce the confusion that students experience, assisting them in effectively reading the score. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Read More
How Do I Get the Music and Lyrics to Match Together in My Songwriting?
Frustrated that you can’t get the mood of your music and lyrics to match? Do you have problems getting the syllables of your lyrics to work with the music? If you answered, “yes,” you have problems with prosody in your songwriting. Read more to answer the question, “How do I get the music and lyrics to match together in my songwriting?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Read More
What’s the Best Lesson You’ve Had with Your Music Teacher?
What’s the best lesson you’ve had with your music teacher? The answer to this can take many forms. However, one of the most powerful and important experiences you can have in a music lesson revolves around a concept called ignition. What is ignition and how does it work? Keep reading to find out. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read More