EAR TRAINING.
A person with an untrained ear can appreciate music comparatively
little, even though he is well educated in the theory of music.
Absolute pitch is the ability to recognize and intonate any tone
indicated. Very few persons possess naturally absolute pitch, but it
may be acquired by a systematic study of ear training. Relative pitch
is the ability to recognize a tone by comparison with a known tone.
Advancement in relative pitch eventually leads to the attainment of
absolute pitch.
In practicing ear training, only a few minutes at a sitting are
advised. Too much time at once devoted to this practice tires the ear
and does more harm than good. On the other hand, these sittings should
be many each day. Students who do not have a teacher daily, should
have a member of the household play the exercises in ear training and
correct the mistakes. If no member of the household is musical, the
student should co-operate with another student.
Each exercise should be thoroughly learned before proceeding to the
following exercise. It may be recognizable and properly intonated
at once or it may take several sittings. The pitch A at 435 is the
standard for orchestral tuning and is recommended to the student for a
fundamental. The student should carry upon his person a tuning fork of
this pitch and sound it as often as an opportunity permits, and thereby
fix this fundamental thoroughly in his mind. Eventually, the student
will recognize this pitch whenever he hears it. Other tones will be
recognizable by comparison with this fundamental. Any other pitch for a
fundamental may be chosen with equally good results. The argument is in
favor of A because of its use in orchestral tuning.
Many systems of ear training, which produce the desired results, exist.
The following system has been found the most satisfactory by the
author.[E] Deviations from and additions to this system do no harm and
are advisable in certain individual cases.
[Footnote E: Many young children find difficulty in intonating small
intervals and it is necessary in such cases to commence with large
intervals and work toward the smaller intervals.]
The Italian syllables should be used in singing the exercises.
Movable -do- is advised. Any instrument may be used by the teacher or
co-operator to play the exercises. For low voices, the exercises should
be played two octaves lower than indicated, and for medium voices, one
octave lower. The teacher, after having played an exercise, should
explain the interval or intervals therein. The student should sing the
exercise first with the instrument and then without. Each exercise
should be faultlessly intonated before proceeding to the following
exercise.
GROUP I.
THE NORMAL INTERVALS OF THE MAJOR SCALE.
1. Major scale:--
[Illustration: [music]]
2. All intervals of the major scale:--
[Illustration: [music]]
3. Tonic triad:--
[Illustration: [music]]
4. Perfect fifth:--
[music]
The teacher should use various rhythms besides those given.
5. Perfect fourth:--
[Illustration: a)
[music]]
[Illustration: b)
[music]]
6. Perfect octave:--
[Illustration: a)
[music]]
[Illustration: b)
[music]]
7. Perfect intervals combined:--
[music]
The teacher should combine these intervals in various ways and in
several different rhythms and the student should notate the exercise.
The teacher may also choose some melody free from accidentals and play
it slowly while the student notates. Such practice accomplishes a
two-fold result, ability to notate rhythm as well as intervals.
8. Major third:--
[Illustration: [music]]
9. Minor sixth:--
[Illustration: [music]]
10. Major sixth:--
[Illustration: [music]]
11. Minor third:--
[Illustration: [music]]
The first measure of exercise 2 contains the major second which is an
easily recognized interval. The last measure but two of exercise 2
contains the major seventh. This interval is ordinarily a difficult
interval to intonate but coming as it does in exercise 2 it is easy
to intonate because of the ascending scale on the second half of the
measures. For the present, it is not advisable to practice the major
seventh except in some such sequence as exercise 2. All other normal
intervals may be practiced separately and in combinations. After the
student has become thoroughly proficient in recognizing and properly
intonating all the intervals in group I, he may proceed to the
intervals of the minor scale found in group II.
GROUP II.
THE NORMAL INTERVALS OF THE MINOR SCALE.
1. Melodic minor scale:--
[Illustration: [music]]
2. Harmonic minor scale:--
[Illustration: [music]]
If the student finds difficulty in singing the harmonic form with the
awkward augmented step, the singing of this scale may be postponed.
3. Play alternatively the major scale and both forms of minor, and
require the student to distinguish between them. Do not proceed until
the student is capable of recognizing and distinguishing between all
diatonic scales.
4. All intervals of the harmonic minor scale:--
[Illustration: [music]]
5. All intervals of the ascending melodic minor scale:--
[Illustration: [music]]
6. The minor triad:--
[Illustration: [music]]
7. The minor third:--
[Illustration: [music]]
8. The major sixth:--
[Illustration: [music]]
9. The minor sixth:--
[Illustration: [music]]
10. The major third:--
[Illustration: [music]]
11. Play slowly several minor melodies free from modulations and
require the student to notate.
The teacher should now play melodies in which are transitions from
major to -parallel- minor and -vice versa-. Great familiarity with the
normal intervals is necessary before studying altered intervals. It is
hoped that the major seventh may now be properly intonated.
The student may experience considerable difficulty with the following
group, in which case it is advisable to postpone this group until
the ear is more thoroughly trained. The object of its following the
normal intervals is to fix firmly the fundamental and all intervals by
comparison with this fundamental.
GROUP III.
ALTERED INTERVALS.
1. The chromatic
scale:--
[Illustration: [music]]
In syllabicating the chromatic scale or any of the altered intervals,
the syllable -ah- may be used on each tone. To those wishing to adhere
to the Italian syllables, the tonic sol-fa syllables, invented by Miss
Sarah Ann Glover, may be used which are as follows: ascending chromatic
scale---doh-, -de-, -ray-, -re-, -me-, -fah-, -fe-, -soh-, -se-, -lah-,
-le-, -te-, -doh;- descending chromatic scale---doh-, -te-, -ta-,
-lah-, -la-, -soh-, -sa-, -fah-, -me-, -ma-, -ray-, -ra-, -doh-. Miss
Glover changed the spelling of the Italian syllables to coincide with
the English pronunciation. She also changed the subtonic from -si- to
-te-.
2. -The augmented fourth- is found as a scale interval between the
fourth and seventh steps of the major scale (-fah- to -te-). It is more
difficult to conceive and intonate properly the augmented fourth when
it is constructed upon the tonic. In order to make this interval less
difficult, the following exercise contains the intermediate scale steps
previous to the skip of an augmented fourth:--
[Illustration: [music]]
It may be necessary with some students to interpolate some or all the
intermediate steps previous to skips to all altered intervals. It may
not be amiss to state here that in correct melody writing augmented and
diminished intervals are usually avoided. Singers almost invariably
intonate them out of tune. When these intervals exist as constituent
parts of an arpeggio chord progression, they are comparatively easy.
As altered intervals these skips are given to instruments (instruments
being capable of properly intonating all skips) when a dramatic effect
is desired.
3. -The diminished fifth- is analogous to the augmented fourth. Being
the inversion of the augmented fourth, it is found as a scale interval
between the seventh and fourth steps (-te- to -fah-). The following
exercise contains the diminished fifth built upon the tonic:--
[Illustration: [music]]
4. -The augmented fifth- is analogous to the minor sixth. It is found
as a scale interval between the third and seventh steps of the harmonic
minor scale and ascending melodic minor scale. The following exercise
contains the augmented fifth built upon the major tonic:--
[Illustration: [music]]
5. -The diminished fourth- is the inversion of the augmented fifth and
is analogous to the major third:--
[Illustration: [music]]
6. -The augmented second- is analogous to the minor third. It is found
as a scale interval between the sixth and seventh steps of the harmonic
minor. The following exercise contains the augmented second built upon
the major tonic:--
[Illustration: [music]]
7. -The diminished seventh- is the inversion of the augmented second
and is analogous to the major sixth:--
[Illustration: [music]]
8. -The augmented third- is analogous to the perfect fourth. This
interval is found in the altered minor triad between the third and the
raised fifth of the triad. Derivation of the augmented third:--
[Illustration: [music]]
E II]
Exercise:--
[Illustration: [music]]
9. -The augmented sixth- is analogous to the minor seventh. This
interval is found in the augmented sixth chord. Origin of the augmented
sixth chord:--
[Illustration: [music]]
E II]
-The diminished sixth-, which is the inversion of the augmented third
and analogous to the perfect fifth, is not used melodically. -The
diminished third-, which is the inversion of the augmented sixth and
analogous to the major second, is but seldom used melodically.
If the singing of the harmonic minor scale has been postponed, it
should now be practiced. Exercises containing the major seventh may now
be given.
GROUP IV.
ARPEGGIO CHORDS.
If the fundamental is not yet fixed in the student's mind exercises
pertaining to groups I and II should be given before proceeding. The
intervals already given should be expanded, the major second to a major
ninth, the major third to a major tenth, etc., etc.
In practicing the following exercises, the student should name the
intervals between consecutive notes and between each note of the chord
and the fundamental.
1. The major triad:--
[Illustration: [music]]
2. The minor triad:--
[Illustration: [music]]
3. The diminished triad:--
[Illustration: [music]]
4. The augmented triad:--
[Illustration: [music]]
A III'
5. The dominant seventh chord:--
[Illustration: [music]]
The teacher should explain the dominant seventh chord and its
resolution. Also give exercises on the skip of a minor seventh.
6. The supertonic seventh chord:--
[Illustration: [music]]
7. The subtonic seventh chord:--
[Illustration: [music]]
8. The diminished seventh chord:--
[Illustration: [music]]
A great many exercises on these chords should be given together with
the natural resolution of the dependent chords. Exercises on the
inversions of these chords may be given when the student has obtained
proficiency on the fundamental position. The inversions may be found in
Chapter III.
GROUP V.
TWO VOICED CHORDS.
The student should name the interval that one voice forms with the
other. The upper melody should then be sung as the exercise is played.
Repeat the exercise, the student singing the lower melody this time. If
the student experiences difficulty in naming the intervals, the chords
should be played in arpeggio style.
1. Thirds:--
[Illustration: [music]]
2. Sixths:--
[Illustration: [music]]
3. Mixed intervals and rhythm (contrapuntal):--
[Illustration: Cherubini
[music]]
GROUP VI.
THE FOUR VOICED CHORD.
It becomes necessary to use organ or piano for this group. The student
should name the kind of chord and sing the upper voice.
1. The primary triads:--
[Illustration: [music]]
2. The primary and secondary triads:--
[Illustration: [music]]
3. Introducing the dominant seventh chord:--
[Illustration: (a)
[music]]
[Illustration: (b)
[music]]
4. Introducing the dominant and secondary seventh chords:--
[Illustration: (a)
[music]]
[Illustration: (b)
[music]]
The chorals that were chosen for analysis in Chapter III should now
be played for ear training. The teacher's judgment is very necessary
in deciding the limitations of each individual student. At the
proper time modulations may be made. Before the student may be called
proficient, he must be capable of instantly recognizing and properly
intonating any and all chords sounded.
Can You Compose Music?
In this, the latest of methods for the study of Harmony, the author,
Carl E. Gardner, presents a system of training which, both in purpose
and plan, provides, what up to the present has frequently been hinted
at, but never practically accomplished--a "direct" method for the
teaching of music composition.
In the writing of the work the student's practical development has been
uppermost in the author's mind and to this end he has provided not a
mere treatise on musical grammar, along conventional, hackneyed lines,
but a new method which will -allow and encourage the student to compose
as he advances and develops-.
MUSIC COMPOSITION
A NEW METHOD OF HARMONY
BY
CARL E. GARDNER
Author of "Essentials of Music Theory."
Price, $1.50
* * * * *
OPINION OF THE PRESS
"His work--numbering 161 small pages--is of necessity simply an
abbreviated affair. It is soundly done, the work of a man who knows his
subject through and through, and it is capitally written."
MUSICAL AMERICA.
"The author calls his method the direct method, in that he makes the
pupil begin to compose from the beginning instead of after a long and
tedious course of technical rules. Time will tell whether this new
method will make better composers than the old way or not, but the
new method will certainly make the way of the pupil less thorny. The
average student will probably enjoy learning composition according to
the method by Carl E. Gardner. There is no reason whatever why this
method should not be as useful as the long established methods of
Jadassohn, Prout, Richter and others who believe in keeping the pupil's
nose to the grindstone for several years before furnishing him with
wings."
MUSICAL COURIER.
"'Music Composition,' a 'new method of harmony,' by Carl E. Gardner,
published by Carl Fischer, New York, is a meritorious text book which
seeks to combine, in efficient manner, the teaching of simple forms
with the customary guidance in chord connection. The abandoning of the
isolated manner in which harmony is generally taught and the stimulus
of life it undoubtedly receives by joining to it symmetry, rhythm and
melody, is undeniably a progress."
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF MUSIC.
PUBLISHED BY
CARL FISCHER
BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO