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Ear Training - More Complicated Melodies

Building Fluency

Fluency in C Clefs We can all use extra practice in C clefs, whether in sight singing or in ear training. This week’s melodic examples will all use alto clef and tenor clef. Having trouble? Use middle C for orientation, i.e. the middle line of the staff in alto clef and the second-to-top line of the staff in tenor clef.

Fluency in Compound Time

This week, we will practice melodic dictation exclusively in compound meters. Don’t just practice those with 8 in the denominator – practice the ones with 16 or 4 too, since they may be less familiar.

Practice Examples

Choose one familiar folk song in compound time from the list below, and write it out in a C clef in compound time. Sometimes there is more than one possible way to do this. For example, you may choose to interpret the song as having 2 beats in the measure (i.e. 6/8, 6/16, or 6/4), or 4 (i.e. 12/8, 12/16, or 12/4).

Songs in Compound Time:

  • The Ants Go Marching (duple or quadruple)
  • The Bear Went Over the Mountain (duple or quadruple)
  • Beautiful Dreamer (triple)
  • For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow (duple or quadruple)
  • Greensleeves (quadruple)
  • Hickory Dickory Dock (duple or quadruple)
  • I’m a Little Teapot (quadruple)
  • Itsy Bitsy Spider (duple or quadruple)
  • Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (triple)
  • Morning Has Broken (triple)
  • Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be (quadruple)
  • Pop Goes the Weasel (duple or quadruple)
  • Ride of the Valkyries (triple)
  • Row Row Row Your Boat (quadruple)