Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Singing Intervals #1: Identifying Intervals
Do you want to learn to sing? Do you need help with hearing and singing intervals? Being able to hear musical intervals is a valuable skill. You can use it for identifying intervals, which is an essential skill in vocal sight reading. Also, it’s important for singing melodies in tune. Read more to learn about singing intervals.
Singing Intervals #2: What’s a Melodic Sound Model?
For hearing and singing intervals, you need to memorize how they sound.
- You do this by using melodic sound models.
- What’s a melodic sound model?
- It’s a song that you can use to memorize the sound of a musical interval by listening to the distance between the notes.
Ideally, a melodic sound model should begin with the musical interval you’re trying to memorize.
- However, some of these melodic sound models will have the musical interval in the chorus or another section of the music.
- When this happens, I’ll point out what to listen for. If I don’t, that means it’s the first interval in the piece.
- Be sure to listen to each example until you can recognize the interval by ear, because this is a critical aspect of learning to sing.
Singing Intervals #3: the Musical Intervals Sound Model
Here are the melodic sound models you’ll use for singing intervals. The songs are arranged by interval class.
Minor Second:
The minor second, also known as a semitone or a half step, is the interval that begins the Jaws Theme. Memorizing the distance between the notes will help you learn to sing semitones.
Jaws Theme
Major Second:
The major second, or whole tone, features prominently at the beginning of Happy Birthday.
Happy Birthday
Minor Third:
Brahms Lullaby
Major Third:
You’ll hear the major third when the chorus sings the first two notes of the phrase, “Meet George Jetson.”
The Jetsons Theme
Perfect Fourth:
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Tritone:
Also known as the augmented fourth or diminished fifth, the tritone can be heard when the tenor sings the name “Maria” at the beginning of the chorus.
Maria
Perfect Fifth:
You’ll hear the perfect fifth at the beginning of the main theme.
Star Wars Theme
Minor Sixth:
The Incredible Hunk Ending Theme
Major Sixth:
You can find the major sixth at the beginning of the love theme from the movie The Empire Strikes Back.
Han Solo and the Princess (Love Theme)
Minor Seventh:
It’s really hard to find music that begins with a minor seventh. However, the distance between the first and third notes of the intro to the Star Trek Theme is a minor seventh (the horn part not the woodwinds).
Star Trek Theme
Major Seventh:
Similarly, the major seventh doesn’t get featured in many songs. However, when the vocalist sings “Bali Hai,” you can hear it between the first and third notes.
Bali Hai
Octave:
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Singing Intervals #4: Summary
Here’s some final thoughts on Singing Intervals:
- You too can recognize musical intervals. Once you can recognize them consistently, you’ll also be able to sing them.
- This skill will be important for learning to sing melodic intervals in tune.
- Also, it’s a necessary skill for sight singing.
Have fun!
Relate Posts:
- 10 Elements that Impact Singing in Tune
- Anyone Can Learn to Sing, Including You
- Please Explain Vowel Modification to Me Like I’m a 5 Year Old
© 2024 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today!
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