Level 3 - Intermediate

Fluent on the Basics, Beginning Advanced Study

Ok, let me fully get all the intervals in the major and the minor – I want to go between all of them and know what they are. I’m ready for chromatic, let me get started with the 12 note scale. I’m ready to begin to use and recognise augmented and diminished intervals. I’m ready to learn to sing Opportunity by Bobby McFerrin, I’m ready to find my whole way through Bach’s prelude in C. I’m ready to learn to really know my I II III IV V VI chords when I hear them, and be able to make interesting chord progressions in an improvised vocal ensemble. I’m ready to play with yummy crunchy chords like a G7b9. Don’t expect me to know it when I hear it, but I’m ready to play… OK I’m good with rhythm and I can keep a steady groove. I’ve got this beats of the bar thing, I’ve got syncopation; now let me get into 16th notes / semi-quaver patterns, polyrhythm and oddmeter.

Harmonically, I still need to fully get my triads of the major and minor scales; so let me settle into those. And let me sophisticate my use of harmony and begin to work on inversions; navigating inversions with my ear and my voice. I’m still wrapping my head around diatonic harmony in the major and minor.

Wild Voice, Solid Roots Level 3 | Year-long Course Content

Rhythm 

  • Becoming more able to play with rhythmically complex vocal improvisation

  • Beginning to work with polyrhythm, odd-meter and 16th note / semiquaver patterns, straight and swung. Becoming able to create patterns using these dimensions of rhythm, and to create interlocking patterns with others in fascinating and funky ways.

  • Singing whilst playing drum, shaker, or other instrument, with increasing rhythmic sophistication; improvisational vocal freedom while you hold it very steady on another instrument.

  • Reading and writing rhythmic notation

  • Being able to aurally recognise a variety of time signatures and improvise over various rhythms with rhythmic precision

Harmony

  • Becoming increasingly sophisticated in your ability to improvise with others harmonically.

  • Deepening familiarity with the chords of the major scale, and learning the chords of the minor scale.

  • Beginning to study voicings, inversions, cadences, and adding 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th notes to chords.

  • Hearing, recognising and vocally producing various chords, voicings and inversions in ensemble

  • Harmonic ear training with all chords and progressions in major and minor.

Tone, Agility, Melody, Mode

  • Becoming more precise, clear, calm and steady when your voice hits this and that note. Being able to land clearly and increasingly quickly onto notes across a range of intervals in major and minor keys.

  • Beginning to learn the sounds and intervals in the chromatic scale, major and minor pentatonic scales, dorian and minor blues scales.

  • Beginning to transcribe by ear, for users of musical notation (dots)

  • Studies such as memorising the full Bach Prelude in C (or comparable challenge) to increase agility

  • Cultivating the deep quality of your vocal tone and its maintenance across increasingly deft agility through a regular practice using scales, studies, resonant body work and vocal meditation.

Voice, Creativity and Integration

  • Working with the voice; coming fully into the resonant body; setting your voice free; clear, strong, healthy, and beautifully your own.

  • Through collaborative and solo improvisation, dropping fear and restrictions, and allowing the creative river to flow.

  • Improvising with words

  • Integrated Expressive Practice – using sound, movement and language to express profound truths in creative and resonant ways

  • Integrating the conscious study of rhythm, harmony and melody into free flowing musicianship

  • Sound healing.

  • Reflection and growth in the world as a musician, finding the ways that fit you.