Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Want to be able to sing modes? I can help. You’ll run into the Ionian mode more often than any other type of mode. It’s used extensively in pop, jazz, classical, and even folk music. In Singing Shape Notes Solfege Ionian Melodies, you’ll be singing the last mode we’ll look at in the modes series. Keep reading to learn more.
To date, we’ve looked at these five modes:
This article uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
The Modes and Singing Shape Notes Solfege Ionian Melodies
Before you start singing the shape notes solfege Ionian melody in the following section, you should review the modes and how shape notes work:
Grandfather’s Clock and Singing Shape Notes Solfege Ionian Melodies
Mobile users: for best results reading the music, tilt your screen 90o to the right.
Grandfather’s Clock:
We’ll use the classic melody from Grandfather’s Clock for the singing example in Singing Shape Notes Solfege Ionian Melodies.
- Ionian is the most common mode used in Western music, bar none. You’ll hear it in all types and styles of music.
- Be sure to breathe at the end of the phrases as this will support your tone. If you don’t breathe, your pitch can sink making you go out of tune.
The soundtrack has a specially selected tuning to help train your ear:
- Carefully listening to the span between the notes will help you to learn how to sing melodies in tune.
- Practicing singing with the sing-along soundtracks will further train your brain’s mental pitch
- The song tracks use synthetic voices rather than actual voices. Research has shown that this will help with the ability to identify and produce absolute pitch information. For more information, click here.
After you’ve gotten “Grandfather’s Clock” down, try singing the quiz below. To hear the whole song, watch the video version of Grandfather’s Clock.
Video: Grandfather’s Clock
Singing Shape Notes Solfege Ionian Melodies: Quiz
Summary for “Singing Shape Notes Solfege Ionian Melodies”
Here’s some final thoughts on “Singing Shape Notes Solfege Ionian Melodies.”
- Sing the solfege syllables as you sing along with the soundtrack.
- If you find sight singing difficult, be sure to use the shape notes as a sight singing aid.
- This multisensory approach will be especially important for vocalists with LD, ADD, ASD, and other special needs.
- After you’re comfortable with singing the shape notes, you can try reading regular standard notation.
- To learn how to do that click here.
- If the Ionian mode sounds familiar to you, that’s because it’s the same as the major mode.
Have fun singing!
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today!
Glossary
What’s the Difference Between Just Intonation and Equal Temperament?
What’s the difference between just intonation and equal temperament? They differ in terms of how they sound, the number of notes, and their user friendliness. Click to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Why It’s So Hard for Someone with a Good Ear to Learn Sheet Music
Do you want to learn how to read music, but just can’t? Are you a teacher that has students with good ears who struggle with reading? Having a good ear can be a two-edged sword. The student can pick up music quickly by ear. However, the same strength can create challenges for score reading. Read more to learn why it’s so hard for someone with a good ear to learn to read sheet music. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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What Are the Best Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners to Learn?
Do you want to learn the easiest beginner guitar chords? Once we’ve talked about what makes a chord simple to play, you’ll learn them in progressively more challenging stages. In each stage, you’ll have links to songs that you can play using the easy versions. Keep reading “What Are the Best Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners to Learn?” to start mastering guitars chords. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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How to Sing Powerful Vowels and Consonants
Your performance isn’t just about hitting your notes. It’s also about performing with precision: so that your vowels are powerful and resonant, and your consonants are clean and crisp. This in turn will impact your ability to add emotion to your performance. Keep reading “How to Sing Powerful Vowels and Consonants” to learn more. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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