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
How Long Do You Take to Memorize a Piece of Piano Music?
“How long do you take to memorize a piece of piano music?” It’ll vary from person to person how long it’ll take. I’ve known musicians who can memorize a piece of music after just one listening. For most of my students, it takes a half-dozen to a dozen listenings to just start learning a piece, much less memorize it. This means that for most musicians, memorizing a piece of music will be a process. Keep reading to get tips to help you memorize your music better and more quickly. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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How to Set Up a Music Teacher’s Percussion Bag
Have you been thinking about keeping percussion instruments on hand for your music lessons? Do you want an idea of what should go into your bag? A percussion bag or box is useful for any music instructor. It can make the difference between happy, engaged students and pandemonium. Click “How to Set Up a Music Teacher’s Percussion Bag” for some tips to get you started. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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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.
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Singing Sixteenth Note Rhythmic Syllables
Have you gotten down reading the easier rhythmic syllables, but want to learn more? As you progress, you will hear that the added rhythm makes performing melodies much more fun. Read more to learn about singing sixteenth note rhythmic syllables. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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