Level 1 - Getting Started
‘Help me count to 4! I don’t know the beats of the bar; I couldn’t make a phrase starting on the 3rd beat. I don’t know my do re mi. I can’t always keep a steady beat; I speed up, or loose my place, can’t track where I am rhythmically. I can’t click steadily on, for example, the 2 and 4 and sing freely and keep my beat. I can’t find my place in harmonies, I struggle to harmonise as an improviser. Maybe I can play chords on an instrument, but I can’t improvise over the top vocally.’
You’re a singer. You might be a performer or a song group leader or a singer songwriter, or your natural musicality might have come out around a campfire jam. That’s in you. It’s clear. But it’s these aspects of musicianship; no one has ever helped you put them in place, and you want to get started. You’re humble to the realities of where you need to begin, which is pretty much at the beginning. This isn’t helping you with your talent – you have talent, and now we’re going to skill up your talent.
Wild Voice, Solid Roots Level 1 | Year-long Course Content
Rhythm
Getting really solid with keeping a steady tempo (pace - not speeding up or slowing down); relaxing into the pocket of the groove, sharing a tempo precisely with collaborators. Getting super clear on the rhythms landing in the body, feet; somatic grounding of rhythmic steadiness.
Getting familiar with beats of the bar; becoming able to always know where the 1 is, and beginning to be able to make patterns and phrases starting and ending on different beats of the bar. Downbeats.
Working with 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures, and quarter notes / crotchets.
Getting your mouth, hands and body around different rhythmic phrases and patterns.
Beginning to get to know rhythmic notation for this.
Tone, agility, melody, mode
Introducing the major scale, degrees of the major scale, sounds of the major scale.
Discovering your ‘Sa’ - your most comfortable key. Vocal meditation to cultivate tone quality (and get the benefits of meditation).
Resonant body work to open up the full resonance of your body and begin to activate ‘interoception’ - perceiving sensation within the body.
Regular personalised scales to bring life to the full range of your voice and stabilise your agility, at a comfortable pace for you.
Introduction to intervals; learning to easily recognise the sounds of seconds, fifths, octaves.
Harmony
Harmonic ear training; discerning each of two different notes played simultaneously.
Maintaining harmonic parts given to you in circle song.
Creativity and Integration
Singing a lot and waking your voice right up! Using language and expressing yourself. Having fun, alone and with others.
If necessary, developing a positive, friendly and kind relationship with your voice.
Getting started with music practice. Where, when, how?
If necessary, identifying learning trauma, addressing it, and developing a healthy, current, positive relationship with your own learning.