WEEK 4, DAY 1:

This week we’ll be working on developing muscle memory of the 1-2-3 notes, and the 1-3-5-8 notes of the scale. And we’ll be singing songs and analyzing how they relate to the scale, and in particular, to the 1-3-5-8 notes of the scale.

Today I’m on my way home from an amazing weekend of music improvisation and recording from my brother’s house in NYC. The workshop I attended was with an organization called Music for People – these wonderful workshops are open to people of all levels of musical experience (including none!) – Check out the MfP webpage in case you’re curious.

Today’s lesson:
• a video lesson in 2 parts
• an audio version of the same lesson

Enjoy!

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WEEK 4, DAY 1: Video Lesson PART ONE  –
Drilling the 1-2-3 and the 1-3-5 of the Diatonic Scale

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

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WEEK 4, DAY 1: Video Lesson PART TWO  –
Drilling the 1-2-3 and the 1-3-5 of the Diatonic Scale

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

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WEEK 4, DAY 1: Audio Lesson PART ONE –
Drilling the 1-2-3 and the 1-3-5 of the Diatonic Scale

Play now or Right- or Option-Click HERE to save this track to your hardrive

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WEEK 4, DAY 1: Audio Lesson PART TWO–
Drilling the 1-2-3 and the 1-3-5 of the Diatonic Scale

Play now or Right- or Option-Click HERE to save this track to your hardrive

WEEK 4, DAY 2:

Practice the 1-3-5-8 notes of the scale and see how a couple of songs fit into the scale…

• 1 Video Lesson in 2 Parts
• The Same Lesson in an Audio Track

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WEEK 4, DAY 2: Video Lesson PART ONE  –
Drilling the 1-3-5 of the Diatonic Scale, and a Few Songs…

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

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WEEK 4, DAY 2: Video Lesson PART TWO  –
Drilling the 1-3-5 of the Diatonic Scale, and a Few Songs…

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

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WEEK 4, DAY 2: Audio Lesson PART ONE –
Drilling the 1-2-3 and the 1-3-5 of the Diatonic Scale

Play now or Right- or Option-Click HERE to save this track to your harddrive

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WEEK 4, DAY 2: Audio Lesson PART TWO–
Drilling the 1-2-3 and the 1-3-5 of the Diatonic Scale

Play now or Right- or Option-Click HERE to save this track to your harddrive

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WEEK 4, DAY 3:

Today we’re singing a few songs and noticing some details about how they fit into the scale. Go to the FB page with questions and observations if you have any!

• Today you get a new lesson on video – in 2 parts

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WEEK 4, DAY 3: Video Lesson PART ONE  –
Sing along with me (and notice how our songs relate to the scale)

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

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WEEK 4, DAY 3: Video Lesson PART TWO  –
Sing along with me (and notice how our songs relate to the scale)

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

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WEEK 4, DAY 4:

Singing! Row Your Boat and Michael Row Your Boat Ashore…

• 1 Video Lesson
• 3 PDFs of song-sheets for you to sing from and make notes on
• The Same Lesson in an Audio Track

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WEEK 4, DAY 4: Video Lesson
Row Row Row Your Boat & Michael Row Your Boat Ashore

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

Download words to Row Row Row Your Boat
Download words to Michael Row Your Boat Ashore
Download words to You Are My Sunshine

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WEEK 4, DAY 4: Audio Lesson –
Row Row Row Your Boat & Michael Row Your Boat Ashore

Play now or Right- or Option-Click HERE to save this track to your hardrive

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WEEK 4, DAY 5:

About how to practice, holding a drone over a repeated pattern on the guitar, improvising using that same repeating pattern as a support, how a guitar is tuned, and more improvising…

• 1 Video Lesson in 2 parts
• The Same Lesson in an Audio Track 

Practicing.
The hard work: learning to control your voice; comparing and contrasting both what you’re hearing and what you’re singing; drilling intervals over and over; conceptualizing and visualizing what you’re singing in the framework of what you know about how our musical system works. You can get tense from all the focus this takes! It’s important to do this sometimes, but it’s equally if not more important to loosen up, play, explore and have fun!

The relaxed, expansive part: Sirening; improvising; singing with DRAMA!; humming; singing expressively and spontaneously; singing with the radio; singing with people you feel super comfortable with; singing with an instrument…

When someone plays a chord on a guitar, you are hearing notes that go together – usually the root note (the one) of the chord along with the 3 and the 5. Even if you don’t know intellectually what you are hearing, the combination of notes is probably speaking to you. When the guitar player alternates between a couple of chords that sound familiar and nice together – this can bring out your Inner Singer! That’s what we’re playing with today. 

And Hey, guess what? Next week we’re gonna work on the Happy Birthday song!

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WEEK 4, DAY 5: Video Lesson – PART ONE
Important Tip for Practicing & Using a Repeated Pattern as Support

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

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WEEK 4, DAY 5: Video Lesson – PART TWO
Guitar Tuning Basics & More Improvising with a Repeating Pattern

Right- or Option-Click to Download Video

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WEEK 4, DAY 5: Audio Lesson – PART ONE
Important Tip for Practicing & Using a Repeated Pattern as Support

Play now or Right- or Option-Click HERE to save this track to your harddrive

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WEEK 4, DAY 5: Audio Lesson PART TWO – PART TWO
Guitar Tuning Basics & More Improvising with a Repeating Pattern

Play now or Right- or Option-Click HERE to save this track to your harddrive

Take lessons in-person, over Zoom, enroll in an on-line program, or come to a workshop!

What People Are Saying…

“I really surprised myself, in many ways. I had a wonderful time and came away with more confidence than I felt possible!”
– A Workshop Participant

“This is so exciting – it’s like a miracle to me!”
– A Skype Student

“I never thought I’d be able to sing at all, but with practice and training, I can sing with a group and not shatter glass. It has encouraged me to try anything at least once no matter how much I don’t think I could do it.”
– Ash, Singing Student

“I absolutely wouldn’t have been able to sing in front of people if I hadn’t taken lessons with Nancy. Now I sing for the residents at a nursing home. No sweaty palms, no pounding heart, no shaking like a leaf. I’m having so much fun and people are enjoying my singing. I actually get requests!”
– Cathy, Workshop Participant and Singing Student

“The lessons were definitely helpful in getting to understand some of the physical and emotional barriers that prevent me from singing and I learned some great tools from you on how to address the barriers. Singing is such a joy!”
– Becka, Private Skype Student

“After taking a few lessons, I realize that there are a lot of people who are afraid to sing or have trouble with singing, and people will respect you if you try. And this can go for anything. So, why not try?”
– Singing Student

“Nancy has helped me along the journey of bringing what I hear inside my head into the world. She brings a patience and a kindness to her process that focuses on joy and emphasizes the pleasure of singing. She has helped me replace my perceptions of singing failure with success, anxiety with relaxation.”
– Chris, Singing Student

“Nancy seems to have an endless basket of teaching tools and the were all enjoyable. I especially liked moving, scatting and adding rhythm making to our singing.”
– Workshop Participant

“I think my husband is a little intimidated by my new skills” (…said with a smile)
– Sandy, Skype Singing Student

“I had a really wonderful time during my lesson and it felt good just to sing for fun. In just the last couple of weeks some opportunities have come up that I might normally have passed up. I think I found the fun part of singing again!”
– Grace, Singing Student