Choral Sight Reading

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Choral Sight Reading

Learner's Module in SPA Choir 8 Quarter 1 ● Module 5

ROWENA C. EMBONG Developer

Department of Education. Cordillera Administrative Region

NAME: ______________________________ GRADE AND SECTION ___________

TEACHER: __________________________ SCORE: _______________________

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Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Cordillera Administrative Region SCHOOLS DIVISION OF BAGUIO CITY

#82 Military Cut-off, Baguio City

Published by:

DepEd Schools Division of Baguio City Curriculum Implementation Division

COPYRIGHT NOTICE 2020

Section 9 of Presidential Decree No. 49 provides:

“No copyright shall subsist in any work of the Government of the Philippines.

However, prior approval of the government agency of office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit.”

This material has been developed for the implementation of K-12 Curriculum through the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID)—Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS). It can be reproduced for educational purposes and the source must be acknowledged. Derivatives of the work including creating an edited version, an enhancement or a supplementary work are permitted provided all original work is acknowledged and the copyright is attributed. No work may be derived from this material for commercial purposes and profit.

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PREFACE

This module is a project of the Curriculum Implementation Division particularly the Learning Resource Management and Development Unit, Department of Education, Schools Division of CAR which is in response to the implementation of the K to 12 Curriculum.

This Learning Material is a property of the Department of Education- CID, Schools Division of CAR. It aims to improve students’ performance, specifically in Special Program in the Arts.

Date of Development : October 2020

Resource Location : DepEd Schools Division of Baguio City Learning Area : Special Program in the Arts - Choir

Grade Level : 8

Learning Resource Type : Module

Language : English

Quarter/Week : Q1/W5, W6, W7 and W8

Learning Competency/Code : 6. Sight-reads music in singing and playing instruments( SPA_MU8-IIa-1)

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The developer wishes to express her gratitude to those who help in the development of this learning material. The fulfillment of this learning material would not be possible without these people who gave their support, helping hand and cooperation.

The developer extends her fullest gratitude and appreciation to Dr.Lolita A.

Manzano and Dr. Jennifer C. Pinlac for their technical support in the crafting of this module.

To my head teachers, Sir Ortez D. Gabol, Sir Francis B. Lumiwes, Sir Nicodemus B. Gam-ad, Doris L. Rullan and the MAPEH Department for giving us moral support and giving us opportunity to discover our skills as writers.

And to all in one way or the other help me to finish this learning material. Thank you and may God be with you all.

Development Team

Developer Rowena C. Embong

Layout Artist / Cover art Artist: Jocel D. Naniong School Learning Resources Management Committee

Brenda M. Carino School Head / Principal

Francis B. Lumiwes Subject / Learning Area Specialist Sherwin Fernando School LR Coordinator

Quality Assurance Team

Lolita A. Manzano, Ed.D. EPS – MAPEH Nino M. Tibangay, Ed.D. PSDS – District III Learning Resource Managemnet Section Staff

Loida C. Mangangey EPS – LRMDS

Victor A. Fernandez Education Program Specialist II - LRMDS Christopher David G. Oliva Project Development Officer II – LRMDS Priscilla A. Dis-iw Librarian II

Lily B. Mabalot Librarian I

Ariel Botacion Admin Assistant

CONSULTANTS

JULIET C. SANNAD, EdD Chief Education Supervisor –CID CHRISTOPHER C. BENIGNO, PhD Asst. Schools Division Superintendent MARIE CAROLYN B. VERANO, CESO V

Schools Division Superintendent

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Choral Sight Reading

Learner's Module in SPA Choir 8 Quarter 1 ● Module 5

ROWENA C. EMBONG Developer

What I Need to Know

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What I Need to Know

This learning material will help you improve your sight-reading skills (the ability to read sheet music), make you work on your pitch accuracy, and help you develop your rhythmical skills.

For the Facilitator:

This learning material will serve as a guide for the facilitator to teach sight reading skills in music.

For the Learner:

Read and understand the lessons carefully. Instructions are given in each activity.

You just need to follow the directions and you will be guided as you move from one page to another. The lessons will also prepare you for a post assessment at the end of the module.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the session you will be able to:

• Identify the different tips and steps in sight reading.

• Enumerate ways on how to improve sight- reading skills.

• Apply the steps and tips in sight reading correctly.

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What I Know

A. Multiple Choice

Directions: Read and understand the statement and write the letter of your choice on the blank before the number.

______1. It is an exercise used for sight- reading vocal music in which each scale degree is assigned a coordinating syllable.

a. Sofa-syllables c. Solfege

b. Syllabicate d. Sight-read

______2. It is the ability to read and sing music at first sight.

a. Sight-singing c. familiarizing your rhythm b. knowing your scale d. Sight-guessing

______3. It is also referred to as vocal sight-reading or prima vista.

a. Sight-singing c. familiarizing your rhythm b. knowing your scale d. Sight-guessing

______4. Aural skills are the ability to hear a pitch and know exactly what note it is.

a. Aural skills c. solfege

b. visual skill d. rhythm

______5. It helps vocalists to memorize intervals, so they can easily identify pitches, regardless of what key they are in.

______6. It is one way to make sight-reading easier for music performers.

a. Memorizing c. Performing

b. Practicing d. Singing

______7. It is an exercise used for sight-reading vocal music in which each scale degree is assigned a coordinating syllable.

a. Knowing your scales. c. Solfege

b. Memorizing d. Sofa-syllable

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______8. An instrument that a vocalist may use to define those hard-to-read-notes.

a. Ukelele c. Guitar

b. Piano/organ d. Flute

______10. It allows a musician to audiate, or mentally hear, the pitches of a piece which he or she is seeing for the first time, then sing them aloud.

B. True or False.

Directions: Write ME if the statement is true and YOU if the find that the statement is false.

_______ 1. Familiarizing yourself with the music elements will help you to be ready in any situation.

_______ 2. As a vocalists, knowing your scales will help you tangibly memorize your key signature so that when you begin to sight-read, your hands will do what they are used to doing.

_______ 3. Sight – reading is more than just notes and rhythm.

_______4 Showing that you can follow annotations will demonstrate impressive musicality.

_______5. To avoid sheer panic, familiarize yourself with different styles of music, rhythms, and scores.

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What’s In

Learning sight singing is much like learning to read words. In both, we train our brains to see a symbol and connect it to a sound. (D says dog. d.d.d.) With music literacy, we learn music symbols and their associated sounds by using solfa (do, re, mi etc) and rhythm names (ta, ti-ti etc).

Over time, through practice, brains learn to look at the symbols of music, and immediately imagine their sounds.

What’s New

A. Try to sight read and sing the sofa-syllables below. Then answer the following questions.

a.a.

b.b.

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a. What are the notes used? Identify the value of each notes used.

a.a_________________________________________________________

b.b. ________________________________________________________

b. What can you say about the rhythm, and melody or the flow of the notes when you sang it?

a.a_________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

b.b_________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

What is it

SIGHT READING

Sight-singing is the ability to read and sing music at first sight, also referred to as vocal sight-reading or prima vista. Sight-singing not only help you improve your sight- reading skills (the ability to read sheet music), but it will also make you work on your pitch accuracy and rhythmical skills.

Aural skills are the ability to hear a pitch and know exactly what note it is. Sight- singing helps refine these skills so that the vocalists can understand a piece of music without having to hear it first.

Solfege is an exercise used for sight- reading vocal music in which each scale degree is assigned a coordinating syllable. After some practice and familiarization, the solfege allows a musician to audiate, or mentally hear, the pitches of a piece which he or she is seeing for the first time, then sing them aloud.

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7 Steps in sight reading:

1. How many beats are in a bar?

In music, a bar is the space between two vertical lines.

At the beginning of every piece of music there are two numbers that make up the time signature. This will tell you how many beats are in the bar. Most music we come across has the number 4 at the bottom with a 2, 3, or 4 at the top. So, this is what we will focus on for now.

The number at the bottom shows us what we are counting - in this case crotchets (see point 2 for more on crotchets) and the top number shows us how many there are in each bar. So, in this case we need to make sure we have 3 beats in each bar:

2. Work out the rhythm.

Assuming that the bottom number in the time signature is 4. Note values are as follows:

NOTE ON QUAVER, it doesn't matter if their stalks go up or down, they are still the same length.

Crotchet = 1 beat Minim = 2 beats

Dotted minim = 3 beats Semibreve = 4 beats

Quaver = 1/2 a beat

If two or more quavers appear next to each other in music, their tails get tied together so they look like this:

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Now you know how to read the note values you can clap the rhythm to many simple phrases in music. Remember to hold the longer notes. For example, if you have a minim, you will clap on the first beat and hold for the second beat. It might be useful to count the beats under your breath.

Try clapping this phrase:

You need to make sure you have 3 beats in every bar as the time signature at the beginning of the piece instructs us. Remember quavers are half beats so it's helpful to count them as 1 and 2 and 3 and.

3. La the rhythm.

Now you can clap the rhythm, get your mouth used to the rhythm. It is not necessary to use words in sight singing, so you just need to choose a sound that suits you like la, dee or do (not whistling or humming). I find la is the most natural. Say the rhythm to your chosen sound.

4. Look at the pattern of the notes.

It's always helpful to be able to read music and know the notes, however don't worry if you haven't yet learnt, you just need to look at whether the notes go up, down, or stay the same. If the notes rise higher on the stave (that is the horizontal lines that the notes are written on) they sound higher, if they sink lower, they sound lower. It is as simple as that. Look at the same piece again:

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Look at where the notes go higher and lower and where they stay the same.

Practice singing two notes the same as a lot of my pupils find this difficult.

The next job is to check how big the gap is between the notes. Look at the first bar;

between the first and second notes there is a big jump down. After that, the notes go up by step. You need to try and reflect that in your singing.

5. Put it all together.

Now you have worked out the rhythm and the pattern of the notes you should try and put it all together. Do your best to stick to the pattern of the notes but do not sacrifice the rhythm. The rhythm is just as important and easier to get right so once you have it right, make sure you keep it. Do not stop if you get it wrong, keep going. You can go back and try it again after, but you need to get used to the music flowing and the beat of the music being continuous. As I said, it does not have to be perfect. So, get practicing.

For more information about sight-reading, Click the links below then follow the sight- reading exercises.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OviQvsTF5vI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9vT8UESRVI&pbjreload=101

Here are also tips to improve your Sight-reading skills.

1. Familiarize yourself with a Variety of rhythms.

Sight-reading can look different based on whether you are an instrumentalist or a vocalist, but there is one thing both groups have in common: rhythm. Familiarizing yourself with a variety of rhythms (⁴₄

,

³4

,

⁶8 etc.) will help you to be ready in any situation.

2. Memorize Key Signatures

Memorizing your key signatures is especially helpful for instrumentalists, as you need to be aware of how many sharps or flats are coming up in your upcoming sight – reading exercise. It can also be helpful for vocalists if your timbre is more comfortable in certain key signature. This may take a bit of time initially, but in the long run, it will not only make sight-reading easier but practicing and performing too.

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3. Practice Without a Safety Net

We have all used safety nets when it comes to sightreading. We think to ourselves I can sight-read this, but just to be sure……

For example, an instrumentalist might look down at their hands while they attempt to sight read. A vocalist might use a piano to define those hard-to-read-notes. Whatever you use for your safety net, do your best to practice without it. It is good to make mistakes.

Without them, how can you learn?

4. Practice Sight – Reading Different Types of Music

When it comes to sight-reading, you never really know what you are going to get.

If you are a vocalist, you might even be presented with different languages. So, to avoid sheer panic, familiarize yourself with different styles of music, rhythms, and scores.

5. Examine the Piece You are Sight- Reading

Before you begin to play or sing, take a moment to mentally digest the music in front of you. Tap out the rhythm, read through the notes, and follow the structure of the song.

6. Identify Annotations in the Piece

Sight – reading is more than just notes and rhythm. Take a moment to look for any dynamic changes or musical direction notated within the piece. Also, pay close attention to tempo and time signatures to make sure they don’t change within the song. Showing that you can follow annotations will demonstrate impressive musicality.

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11 7. Make Markings on the Paper

If you are allowed to make markings in your music ahead of time, DO IT!. As we mentioned earlier, you will want to take notice of any areas in the music that might give you trouble.

Finally, go through the entire piece from start to finish as if you were giving a mental performance. If allowed, you can even hum the song as you read. Though it is important to pay attention to the details, it’s also important to get an idea of the song in its entirety.

As you are going through, ask yourself these questions:

• Where is the climax of the song?

• What is the main melody?

• Are there any patterns repeated throughout?

• Does the song have definitive sections?

8. During the Sight Reading Breathe, Relax, and Keep Going, even if you Make a Mistake Sight – reading isn’t meant to be perfect. And just like anything else you do, the more you practice, the better you will get.

What’s More

Activity 1: Sight – read the given piece below. Apply the steps and tips in sight reading.

Steps in sight reading:

1. Check key, meter, and tempo.

2. Recite the rhythm using Kodaly syllables at your own pace. Remember to start with a preparatory bar.

3. Identify the so-fa syllables.

4. Listen to the tonic chord.

5. Combine so-fa syllables and rhythm. Follow the indicated tempo. If there is no indicated tempo, you may set your speed

6. Record your performance then check it with the help of any music app.

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What I Have Learned

Instruction: Enumerate at least four ways on how you can improve your sight- reading skills.

1. ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________.

2. ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________.

3. ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________.

4. ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________.

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What I Can Do

A. Sight reading activity. Follow the steps and tips in sight reading. Make use of the metronome to maintain a sense of speed and timing.

Steps in sight reading:

1. Check key, meter, and tempo.

2. Recite the rhythm at your own pace. Remember to start with a preparatory bar.

3. Identify the so-fa syllables.

4. Listen to the tonic chord. (using metronome. So install metronome in your cellphone)

5. Combine so-fa syllables and rhythm. Follow the indicated tempo. If there is no indicated tempo, you may set your speed

6. Sight read the passage in reverse

7. Record your performance then check it with the help of any music app.

8. After recording your first performance, sight read the excerpts in reverse then record.

9. Submit your recording online.

10. Please refer to the rubric below.

Sight Singing Assessment Rubric Criteria Unsatisfactory

2 points

Developing 4 points

Satisfactory 6 points

Excellent 8 points Solfege syllable

Accuracy

7 or more

incorrect solfege syllable

5-6 incorrect solfege syllable

2-4 incorrect solfege syllable

0-1 incorrect solfege syllable Pitch Accuracy 7 or more

incorrect pitches

5-6 incorrect pitches

2-4 incorrect pitches

0-1 incorrect pitches Rhythm

Accuracy

7 or more

incorrect rhythm

5-6 incorrect rhythm

2-4 incorrect rhythm

0-1 incorrect rhythm A.

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C.

D.

`

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Post Test

A. Multiple Choice

Directions: Read and understand the statement and write the letter of your choice on the blank before the number.

______1. It is an exercise used for sight- reading vocal music in which each scale degree is assigned a coordinating syllable.

b. Sofa-syllables c. Solfege

______2. It is the ability to read and sing music at first sight.

c. Sight-singing c. familiarizing your rhythm d. knowing your scale d. Sight-guessing

______3. It is also referred to as vocal sight-reading or prima vista.

c. Sight-singing c. familiarizing your rhythm d. knowing your scale d. Sight-guessing

______4. Aural skills are the ability to hear a pitch and know exactly what note it is.

c. Aural skills c. solfege

d. visual skill d. rhythm

c. Sofa-syllables c. Solfege

d. Syllabicate d. Sight-read

______6. It is one way to make sight-reading easier for music performers.

a. Memorizing c. Performing

c. Practicing d. Singing

______7. It is an exercise used for sight-reading vocal music in which each scale degree is assigned a coordinating syllable.

c. Knowing your scales. c. Solfege

d. Memorizing d. Sofa-syllable

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______8. An instrument that a vocalist may use to define those hard-to-read-notes.

c. Ukelele c. Guitar

d. Piano/organ d. Flute

______10. It allows a musician to audiate, or mentally hear, the pitches of a piece which he or she is seeing for the first time, then sing them aloud.

B. True or False.

Directions: Write ME if the statement is true and YOU if the find that the statement is false.

_______1. Familiarizing yourself with the music elements will help you to be ready in any situation.

_______2. As a vocalists, knowing your scales will help you tangibly memorize your key signature so that when you begin to sight-read, your hands will do what they are used to doing.

_______3. Sight – reading is more than just notes and rhythm.

_______4. Showing that you can follow annotations will demonstrate impressive musicality.

_______5. To avoid sheer panic, familiarize yourself with different styles of music, rhythms, and scores.

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Answer Key

Pre-and Post-

Tes t

1C 11ME

2A 12ME

3A 13ME

4A 14ME

5C 15M

E

6A 7A 8B 9C 10C

WH ATY’S N EW

A.a - qu arter no te -1 , w hole note -4

B.b.

ha lf note -2, w hole not e-4

B.

b.a.

s hot- long durat ion,

as cending going desc

ending

b.b.

c onjuc t m elody , lon g du rat ion of no tes

What

’s I hav e Lear ned (An

sw ers may var y)

Pos sible An sw

ers

Ways to im pro ve sig ht- re ad ing skill s.

1.

To beco me a bet ter sight -reader , y ou m ust sight -re ad regularly .

2.

Rev iew t he rhy thm s eparately .

3.

Practic e s ilently bef ore s inging it out loud.

4.

Alway s s ing it ag ain.

Rep etit ion is ho w w e lea rn, ho w w e rem em ber, ho w w e m ak e s ens e of ou r

experienc es.

Wha t I C an D o ( Ans wer s m ay Va ry )

A.

Each student w ill s ubm it t heir ow n rec ording online.

T he teac her w ill ev aluate the rec ording if it ha s

acc urate s yllable pitc h and rhy th m.

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References

Amy Hutchinson.How to Sight-sing. https://www.superstarsinthemaking.com/blog/how- to-sight-sing-5-steps-for-beginners. Accessed November 17, 2020.

https://imslp.org/wiki/Solf%C3%A8ge_des_solf%C3%A8ges_(Danhauser%2C_Adolphe) https://michaelkravchuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/354-Reading-Exercises-in-C-

Position-Full-Score.pdf

https://www.musical-u.com/learn/sight-reading-music/

https://www.musicnotes.com/now/tips/10-tips-tricks-sight-reading-music/

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Choral Sight Reading

Choral Sight Reading

Learner's Module in SPA Choir 8 Quarter 1 ● Module 5

ROWENA C. EMBONG Developer

Department of Education. Cordillera Administrative Region

COPYRIGHT NOTICE 2020

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Choral Sight Reading

Learner's Module in SPA Choir 8 Quarter 1 ● Module 5

ROWENA C. EMBONG Developer

What I Need to Know

What I Need to Know

What I Know

What’s In

What’s New

What is it

SIGHT READING

,

,

What’s More

What I Have Learned

What I Can Do

Post Test

Answer Key

References