Some kids just learn to sing naturally. Some don't.
For the last month, my 12-yr-old and I have been spending 5-10 minutes a day trying to have her match the pitch I play on the piano. The first several days we just stuck with one note that was in the middle of her comfortable range. Then we expanded to three notes. After a month, she can hit those three notes right most of the time on the first try. As she got better and better at those three notes, we've slowly expanded to a whole octave now. The accuracy on those new notes (the ones we've only been working on for two weeks) isn't quite there, but it's improving.
We started with steps ("seconds" for those of you who know music) and now have progressed to doing skips sometimes ("thirds"). We've also added "Glory Be to Jesus" because it's a rather simple song musically -- good for starters.
It still astounds me that it can be so hard and take SO much practice to learn where the notes are, and how to make your voice hit a particular note instead of just some note somewhere in the general vicinity. But persistent practice has paid off. I'm proud of what's she's pulled off and how much she's improved!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey, we're singing Glory Be to Jesus right now, too! Mostly because I'm trying to learn how to sing, and it was easy. :-) After hearing all the guys in chapel today, I have a lot of catching up to do in the vocals department...
ReplyDeleteI thought you could sing. Am I wrong about that, or are you just not as good as you want to be?
ReplyDeleteAnd when you say "we," is that part of a class, or just prayers at home?
Prayers at home. So "we" is Katie and me.
ReplyDeleteAs for me singing... eh... it's off and on. I have to practice a hymn for a very long time before I can "decently" sing it. But hitting all the right notes doesn't really carry over to other hymns. Just because I learn to hit a G in one hymn doesn't mean I can do it in another. :-/
However, every Tuesday in my Liturgics class, for one hour, we are going to be practicing chanting and singing, too. So that'll help, too!