The Importance of Inner Hearing

Essay written by Becky Welsh's as part of her double bass studies

at Trinity College of Music. Reproduced here with her kind
permission.

'Discuss the Importance of the Inner Hearing to a musician and

describe the ways in which Kodly musicianship develops this.'
In my opinion developing our inner hearing is one of the most
important and valuable things we can do as musicians. The ability
to inner hear enables us to develop our musicianship skills; in
particular our listening, aural and ensemble playing or singing
skills. Music education through the Kodly method develops inner
hearing skills through singing and associated exercises. As the
Kodly method is mostly taught through use of the voice, this
immediately means that our inner hearing is being accessed and
therefore developed, as the two are inextricably linked.
As I understand it, inner hearing is basically the concept of
being able to hear notes or music inside our heads without the
need to play or sing. If a musician is looking at a piece of music
they should be able to accurately hear how it sounds inside the
head (if their inner hearing skills are good), with no need to
play or sing it. Included in this, is the ability to pitch
intervals inside the head, thus making sight singing much easier.
This skill is developed predominantly through singing and the use
of the voice, which is strongly emphasised in the Kodly method of
teaching.
For a performing musician the development of inner hearing is
extremely important. Not only does the ability to inner hear
improve sight reading skills, it is also essential for orchestral
or ensemble playing. one of the most important things an
orchestral musician has to do is not only to be able to play as a
section, but also on a larger scale, they must be able to blend
with the rest of the orchestra. This must be achieved through good
intonation, as well as solid rhythm. Without being able to hear in
our heads how the music should sound, it is impossible to play it
in a professional way. If one or more members of the orchestra are
not using their inner hearing skills, the chances are they will be
out with the rest of the orchestra, either rhythmically or
harmonically. This means that the overall performance would lack
polish and finesse. It is therefore essential that each member of
the orchestra (or any other group of musicians i.e. choirs,
chamber groups, strings quartets) is aware of what they are
playing and how it is sounding at all times, and they can achieve
this through inner hearing how the music should sound.
In addition, as a solo performer, inner hearing is also a very
valuable skill. In my opinion, through inner hearing we can
achieve relative pitch. This means we are able to hear accurately
how a particular note should sound, with regard to intonation. I
find that as a string player it is especially important to have a
good awareness of pitch. As we are required to 'find' the notes on
our instrument it is necessary to hear what we are aiming for.
There would be little point in trying to find a note on a stringed
instrument if we did not know how it should sound. If our inner
hearing (and therefore relative pitch) is well developed, it is
much easier to play with good intonation, and therefore to play
more convincingly as a solo performer.
Zoltan Kodly developed a system of music education in order that
inner hearing could begin to be developed in children from a young
age. His theory was that if children began their musicianship
training using his method from an early age, by the time they
reached adulthood the system would be so ingrained in them that it
would be second nature. Sightreading or sightsinging would not be
a struggle, nor would difficult enharmonic keys. Memorisation
would be taught from an early age, first through simple folk
songs, so that later it became a natural progression of learning
music. Pitching any note or interval is also simplified, as the
musician will be able to hear inside the head how it should sound.
The musical education system that Kodly used and taught consists
of many different elements. Predominantly the system is taught
through the use of the voice. This is because Kodly believed that
the natural way children express their musical ideas is through
the voice. Therefore many of the ideas taught in the Kodly method
involve singing, for example singing games, sightsinging and
improvising. The use of the voice automatically accesses the inner
hearing skills, so through the development of singing, inner
hearing is also being developed. In recent studies there has been
increased musicality in the children taught using the Kodly
method.
There are many skills taught in the Kodly approach, the majority
of which start with singing (and are therefore linked with the
development of inner hearing). A large part of the Kodly way of
teaching involves learning songs, preferably at first by ear
through a 'call and response' system. Later they can be sung with
the music, then without music, or played on an instrument (in the
case of our classes, the piano). The songs are taught using a
system of naming the notes, or Solfa. Each note of the scale has a
name, and as the 'do' is variable according to the tonic note of
the key of the piece, the scale is the same regardless of the key.
This means that there is a much clearer idea of how the music
should sound, as it is simplified. For example, it is understood
that the distance between 'do' and 'so' is always a perfect fifth.
This idea is also important for the development of inner hearing
because it simplifies the pitching of intervals. It does this
through the use of Solfa. This means that when singing any
interval, the singer has a guide to the sound. The interval is no
longer just two notes, it has names, and owing to the concept of
the variable 'do' or 'home note', regardless of the key of the
piece the interval has the same names, and therefore the same
sound. This should mean therefore, that the singing of the
interval is no longer a guess as it is the same, however complex
the key of the piece may appear to be. This means the singer
should be able to 'inner-hear' the pitches of the notes before
singing them.
In addition to this, each note of the scale has a handsign that
corresponds to the Solfa name. Handsigns are useful for pitching
and understanding of tonal relationships, because they are a way
of visualising the pitches that are being sung. Again, inner
hearing can be developed using handsign exercises. If the teacher
or a member of the class is to demonstrate a song purely through
the handsigns corresponding to the notes, the class would have to
inner hear the notes being shown in handsigns in order to be able
to recognise the piece. This exercise is invaluable in the
development of inner hearing as absolutely no 'real' notes are
being used so the inner hearing is forced into use.
As well as the notes being simplified through use of the Kodly
method, the rhythms are also made clearer. This is achieved
through the use rhythm names, so not only do the notes have names,
the rhythms do too. This idea of naming notes or rhythms gives
children a much clearer indication of what they have to sing or
play as they have something to identify sounds with. It simplifies
the theory of music because to say the word 'teh-teh' is much
easier for a child to understand than saying 'the rhythm is two
quavers'. This idea is used for all the basic rhythms and rhythmic
patterns, so there is always a simple way of explaining the
rhythms of a song.
Once the basic concepts of notation and rhythm have been
introduced and mastered there is much scope for development of
these ideas. As the pupil becomes more advanced many more ideas
and variations can be used. Singing and playing or singing and
clapping songs in canon is an extremely useful exercise that is
used. This is because it requires multi-tasking and good co-
ordination, and it also means the pupil has to isolate each part
(by inner hearing how it should sound) in order to separate them.
As well as this, multiple hearing is encouraged through practice
of the Kodly method. The class will often sing one part at the
same time as another part is being played by the teacher for
musical dictation by the class. This means that as well as inner
hearing the part that is being sung the pupils must also commit to
memory for dictation the part that is being played.
Once the pupils are more advanced, part-singing becomes a fairly
important aspect of learning music though the Kodly method.
Singing in canon is a strong feature of the method, as well as
part-singing taken from musical extracts, such as the singing of
Bach Chorales or other four-part songs. The concept of singing
more than one part at once encourages good intonation in the
singers, and as there is more than one part going on at once,
intonation has to be even more solid than when singing just one
line. This strongly encourages listening and ensemble skills
within the group, as well as developing the need for the singers
to inner hear their parts.
Another important skill taught through the Kodly method is
musical dictation. The teacher plays or sings a melody and the
pupil must notate it (often the rhythm is given, so the focus of
the exercise is on the melody). Starting with simple dictations,
confidence can be built so that more complex melodies or ideas can
be introduced later on. This helps enormously to develop inner
hearing because in order to notate the music, the pupil must first
be able to hear it in the head. once the pupil can hear the melody
in the head, they have the option to repeat the melody sufficient
times in order to notate it correctly. Without be able to inner
hear, the melody would need to be played by the teacher several
times. As the dictations become more and more complex, the inner
hearing skills are developed to be able to hear the more
complicated melodic or rhythmic ideas.

In conclusion it can be said that the learning of the Kodly

method is essential to develop our abilities to inner hear, and
the ability to inner hear is essential to our musicianship.
Therefore, in my opinion, learning Kodly (preferably from a young
age) is essential to us becoming well-rounded musicians. It
enables us to access our inner hearing through singing, as well as
developing these skills through regular practice of exercises
taught in the Kodly method.

Kodly's approach to music education is based on teaching,

learning and understanding music through the experience of
singing, giving direct access to the world of music without the
technical problems involved with the use of an instrument. The
musical material, which has proved to be the most potent and
effective is a country's own folksong material and the finest art
music. Music is heard first of all and then learned using relative
solfa, derived from John Curwen's Tonic Solfa and rhythm solfa,
inspired by and simplified from the French rhythm solfa system of
Cheve, Gallin and Paris.
The Kodly approach to music education is child centred and taught
in a logical, sequential manner. There is no "method" more a
series of guidelines. Tools used according to Kodly guidelines
are relative solfa, rhythm names and handsigns.

Why is singing so important?

The singing voice is nature's in-built musical instrument. We all
have one, and Kodly educators believe it is the birthright of
every child to learn how to express him/herself musically through
the singing voice. Musical development can in this way begin from
babyhood, with no one excluded on grounds of cost. Singing is a
joyful and sociable activity feeding the spirit as well as the
mind.
Singing gives direct access to music without the technical
difficulties of an instrument. Singing and active participation is
therefore the fastest way to learn and internalise music and to
develop musicianship skills. It is also the proof of accurate
internalisation of the rhythm and melody.
Through unaccompanied singing and active participation a student
can begin to acquire skills essential to all musicians: musical
memory, inner hearing, true intonation and harmonic hearing.
Kodly-trained instrumental teachers regard these skills as pre-
requisites for instrumental study at every level. Teachers who
spend time preparing musical material through singing and other
musical activity find that pupils play successfully and musically
when they reach the final stage of performing the music on their
instrument.

Engaging in singing and Kodly oriented musical activities leads

to a marked increase in the powers of concentration, a rise in
levels of achievement and an increase in social harmony in and out
of the classroom. Projects conducted by the Voices Foundation, who
rely on teachers and trainers who are successful graduates of BKA
educational programmes, have borne this out.

How does the teaching progress?

The approach is very effective with young children who will learn,
unconsciously at first, all the musical elements, which musicians
need, through playing and singing of musical games and songs of
their mother tongue. As with language learning, it can happen very
spontaneously and naturally when parents and carers sing to young
children as a part of everyday life, especially if this singing
approach is continued through Primary School.
At an appropriate stage these musical elements and skills are
further developed by being made conscious and then, later,
reinforced. In the process of reinforcing, new elements are
introduced again unconsciously by the teacher, thus continuing
and developing the cycle further. Central to this work is the
development of the Inner Hearing (the ability to imagine sound)
though a potent combination of singing, rhythm work, Solfa and
hand-sign work, stick-notation, memory development, part work,
improvisation and so on.

But I am an adult!
Kodly's approach to learning can be used to develop musical
skills at any age. Anyone, whatever their age or ability may
aspire to the highest levels of musicianship. The training starts
with the simple and progresses to the more complex by logical
steps and is one of the finest approaches to music education yet
devised and therefore suited to all ages and stages of musical
development. There are always adult beginners at the annual BKA
Summer School and many come back year after year to extend their
musical skills. As well as helping beginners to develop
musicianship skills, the training also extends to those working at
an advanced level.

But I am an instrumentalist!
When music is taught or learned using Kodly's approach skills
vital to advanced music making such as inner hearing, rhythmic
co-ordination and harmonic hearing are strongly developed at an
early stage. The approach is therefore relevant for instrumental
teachers as well as class teachers and amateur and professional
singers and musicians.
Through Kodly training teachers come to realise that all pupils
need a core of musicianship training which is relevant to all
instruments. Instrumental teachers therefore need to develop
skills and material for musicianship work with their pupils, and
to acquire repertoire and insights for applying this to their own
instrument. Training is available in courses run by the BKA.

But I am not a singer!

You do not have to be a trained singer to enjoy or benefit from
this form of music making. If you can draw breath, you can sing in
such a way that the musical world will become accessible to you.
The teaching and learning of music through the use of the singing
voice enables the most direct of musical responses and provides
the opportunity for musical understanding at the deepest level.
All students are taught to work with rhythm, structure and style
in music and to understand pitch by using a relative pitch
system, which uses pitch syllables (e.g do, re, mi, fa etc) to
develop keen aural discrimination. This is central to Kodly
training and provides a stimulating and challenging means of
improving personal musicianship and musical awareness.

But I am a non-specialist teacher!

It is possible to learn basic musical skills as an adult, which
can then be transmitted in the classroom in singing games and
other musical activities requiring only the use of your voice. The
BKA runs courses and workshops throughout the year, in addition to
its annual Summer School to provide this training.

Read 'Key elements of the Kodly Concept' an essay by new Trustee

Benjamin Westley which he submitted as part of the Springboard HE1
Certificate Course 2010 11.
Read/download "The Kodly Concept" a clear, concise description
by BKA President, Gillian Earl, author of "With Music in Mind".
Read 'The Kodly Experience' by Cyrilla Rowsell - an illuminating
discussion by a gifted teacher.
Read 'The Importance of Inner Hearing' an essay written by Becky
Welsh as part of her double bass studies at Trinity College of
Music.
Read key findings from 'Making more of Music' an evaluation of
music in schools by Ofsted (2005-8).
Read/download Sarah Glovers Music Education Scheme - a paper by
Celia Waterhouse outlining the work of the British music educator
that inspired John Curwen and ultimately Zoltn Kodly.

See also: Kodly Archive

"The organic connection between music and physical movement is

expressed in singing games. These, particularly in the open air,
have been one of the principal joys of childhood from time
immemorial." Zoltn Kodly
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