Week 2: Delving in...in 2 parts!

Rising Level 2's
Choose 2 duets from the Ottman, 6.58-6.64, and do the following:
Day 1: sing the top and bottom voices of your first selection
Day 2: perfect your singing of the top and bottom voices of your first selection
Day 3: sing 1 part, play the other (on piano, guitar, or other string instrument)
Day 4: sing the other part and play the first one
Day 5: sing and perfect your singing of the top and bottom parts of your second selection
Day 6: see Day 3
Day 7: see Day 4

Rising Level 3's
Sing our little chromatic exercise daily (d d t d r r di r m...etc...call me if you don't remember it), ascending and descending.
And: Choose 1 duet from the Ottman, 8.49-8.53 (include 8.54 if you're feeling ambitious, or if you're Lizzie) and follow the Day 1-4 procedure outlined for the Level 2's.

Singing and playing at the same time is quite the brain-twist at first. I speak from experience, however, when I tell you that it's one of the best things you can do to quickly improve your skills. Doing sing-and-plays basically forces you to make one part of what you're doing automatic, and it also tests your intonation (doubly so if you're doing sing-and-plays with an unfretted string instrument). I'm astonished at how many folks go through a long sequence of movable-do solfa training and never take much care to ground themselves in absolute key relationships....and, since we will eventually delve into the world of chromaticism and clef reading, that's a serious handicap. It takes time to teach yourself to think in a key and in function simultaneously (i.e., locating letter names with your hand and articulating syllables with your mouth), which is why I'm bringing it up now and not during the 3 weeks we have in class. It'll probably seem hard at first, and if it seems completely overwhelming, go back a chapter or two in the Ottman and find an easier duet -- if it's a piece of cake, pick a harder one...you have my permission to pace yourself!