Voice Class for Children Objective: to developed children in their language learning years (3-7) which equips them

with basic tonal, written, timing skills of the musical language.

A major piece of the tonal-development aspect is activating a child's tonal portion of the brain. I begin with basic "what do you hear?" exercises. (ie, people talking, doors closing, etc.) I use various "mystery" boxes and other items with different resonating sounds to help discrimination skills grow. We do a lot of echoes, not even singing at first, just vocalizing on silly nonsense sounds utilizing high and low, slides, etc. I also help them understand the difference of high and low, using various animal sounds. Most children who come from non-singing homes, have no idea that they have a voice beyond their speaking voice ("chest register"), unless it is used for baby- talk"head-register"). By using the aforementioned exercises, they find their head register, which I define as their singing voice. If they focus on developing this, the rest of their singing voice ("chest register") will come along.

to help understand the difference between her shouting voice and her singing voice. Initially I identify their 4 voices: talking, whisper, shouting and singing. By doing a simple song in EACH of these voices (use their "INSIDE shouting voice"!!) they begin to understand the difference sensations of using the singing voice. As they get confidence, its fun to change the four voices within a song. From about 5 years old and through adults, the critical exercise is learning to "think" a tone before singing it. This was a natural piece in the language development years, but if a child did not have the opportunity (or affirmation) to explore vocally in those years, this piece of their brain may not be activated. It's really very simple, but takes constant reminders to create the confidence of a habit. Steps: 1. Hear sound 2.Think (remember) the sound 3. sing the sound.

Use the suggested voice for each line; This is my speaking voice, I use it every day. This is my whisper voice, it's quiet, don't you say? This is my shouting voice, I use it to say "Hey!" (needs reminder to use inside voice, not playground) This is my singing voice, I like it, it's okay. (sing last one on S-M)

Matching Pitch - Primary Here are some things I do: 1) Some children get used to singing either higher or lower than everyone else - probably subconsciously so that they can hear themselves. When a child sings with the group, often the group sound is louder than their voice. If they sing in unison, they can't hear themselves. Tell them this is probably what is going on and that if they sing in unison, sometimes it feels like the sound is outside them rather than coming from their mouths and this is when they are singing correctly. If they hear themselves well, it is probably not the correct sound. 2) Do some echo singing regularly that you keep a rubric response form. I do a singing role call - starting with Sol-Mi after we have sung several Sol-Mi songs. I use: 4 - echoes same tune same pitch 3 - echoes same tune different pitch 2 - echoes different tune (hardly ever happens) 1 - speaks the response 0 - no response If I give a 3 - I indicate beside the number with an up or down arrow indicating which direction they were off. Sometimes I put a + beside a 4 for an exceptionally pure sounding voice (use them for models). If someone is consistently lower, I try them with a lower pitch than the rest of the class to see if they will echo there. 3) If a student is consistently lower, I have them sing and oo and slide up to the pitch (or vice versa encourage relaxation if they sing too high). If successful, I have them show with their hand in front of them where they feel like the sound is, then try to start on that pitch rather than sliding up/down to get there.

4) If successful making the pitch but still not in unison with others, I have them start a pitch (on oo) and then I match them them. Sometimes as I join, they will slide from their pitch in the direction of their habitual error. Tell them to stay and not slide and then do it again. When you get a unison - tell them that is it correct (That's it!) and ask if it feels like the sound is outside them. See if they feel the beats in the air if the pitch is close but slightly off. Tell them that the slower the beats are, the better. Eventually a sense of unison develops. 5) If a student has trouble finding their singing voice, do sirens with the class and then give the child a homework assignment to do sirens at home by themselves, seeing how high and how low they can go. Children need to hear themselves singing by themselves in order for the brain to process correctly and learn how to control the muscles in order to make a desired pitch. Often a child comes back the next week after a "homework" assignment singing in tune with the rest of the class. Usually if the ear hears the voice making different sounds in the singing range, the brain will figure out which nerves to trigger to make those sounds again - just like a baby learning to go from random involuntary motions to muscle control. I tell my students that every child has a beautiful singing voice, but some haven't learned how to use it. It is like buried treasure in their back yard. If no one helps them by giving them a map or helping them dig, they won't get the treasure. If they will allow me help them (by cooperating with my requests), they will find the treasure and have it to use to make beautiful music the rest of their lives. Can't tell your gender from your name. If male, learn to use falsetto (your boy's voice) when demonstrating for younger children. I do these things mainly with K-3. I begin every class with echo clapping and echo vocalization. The vocalization consists of sirens up and down, animal sounds, little dog yap, big dog woof, birds: polly wants a cracker (high voice), owl (whoo-whoo high) Minnie Mouse in high voice: "Hello Mickey", Mickey Mouse in slightly lower voice: "Hello Minnie", just anything to get them to use the full range of their voices in a fun way. I also use S-M "yoo-hoo" for a million things from just echoing (I do it mid-range, but also really high and really low) to singing it mid-range as I add movements such as head to shoulders, wiggle fingers, pull my ears. I found out by accident that when they think it's a silly game, those who tend to be non-singers, sing their hearts out when they think the point is to wiggle their fingers or nod their head or whatever movement I'm doing at the same time. I almost never talk about their singing voice. We just play lots of games. Another "yoo hoo" use. I sing a food and if they like that food I tell the class in general to "yoo hoo". I tell them that if they don't like that food DON'T yoo hoo and that I'll watch and see what foods they like and what foods they don't like and that when they come over to my house to eat sometime, I'll know just what to have for them. :) They think that's so great. Sometimes I'll just use a particular food such as food at McDonald's so I'll sing: (McNuggets S-S-M) they go YooHoo (S-M) if they like it, nothing if they don't. (Chocolate milkshake S-S-SM) etc. Sometimes after a particularly enthusiastic response I'll say, "Oh, that's definitely on my menu for when you come to my house". My answer is quite lengthy, but in classroom use, I'd use one or two of these ideas at the start of class for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes tops.I have tons of other little vocal games and exercises too, but those are just a few of my favorites.

Hearing Assessment

Source: American Speech-Language Hearing Association (1988 March). Guidelines for Determining Speech Thresh Level for Speech. This is what you study to get an advanced degree in audiology: Half Lists of Spondiaic Words

List A

cowboy drawbridge

oatmeal pancake playground railroad horseshoe whitewash sunset

airplane baseball blackboard

ice cream mousetrap northwest

duck pond eardrum hotdog

cookbook List B doormat earthquake armchair backbone birthday headlight inkwell mushroom eyebrow greyhound hardware

nutmeg outside padlock stairway toothbrush woodwork

SUMMARY: Repeated exposure. Music experiences. Motivation to take music lessons comes from repeated exposure to all kinds of music and music experience. 1) Music classes at school, kids concerts, arts festivals, Folklife in Seattle. Our COP Arts Festival. Zoo Concerts. 2) Have Professional musicians visit. High school students (more accessible, They are cool.) Choirs, concert band, jazz band, orchestra. One teacher reported: "Last year, a high school choir gave all 200 kids a mini concert during a morning break. They sang "Over the Rainbow" and a medley from "Hunchback of Notre Dame." Our kids began to sing along on some of the songs. They gave the group a standing ovation! Many expressed the desire to continue singing during middle and high school." It's a bonus if they talk about their own experience...what turned them on, periods of doubt, kept them going. Frustration: that feeling you get just before you reach a major breakthrough." 3) Lots of playing both unpitched and pitched percussion instruments in school and at home, plus early introduction to recorder playing by ear! (Melodaphone) 4) Buy a piano NOW! Let them experiment. Their experimentation may lead to a desire to learn on a more formal basis.
5) Listening at home and elsewhere: a) Classical Music involving movement and art work. Nutcracker. b) Manhattan Transfer's "Tubby the Tuba"

c) Broadway Shows, especially those involving kids (Peter Pan, Sound of Music, Oliver) d) Story Books with Musical Themes, preferably read with appropriate music in the background (Gustave, the Musical Mole and its sequel The Lost Music" are great.-Windham Hill stories: Robin Williams, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, well known musicians: Leo Kottke, Bobby McFarren,\ 6) IN THE CAR: Turn off the T.V. and CD players and SING TOGETHER! Make up verses to a song (Old Macdonald had a ... dinasaur.) Builds community in the family, reduces squabbling, and is a lasting memory through adulthood.