Twelve Steps to Using Your Learning Tapes
Written in 1986 by Carolyn Sexton, director of Maryland Harmony Chrous, Silver Spring, MD.
Permission granted to distribute to Bridger Mountain Harmony (called Snowbird Chorus at that time).
For the novice Barbershopper, having to learn an entire repertoire can be a daunting challenge. Here is a system that helps to simplify and speed up the process.
This is a 12-step program to assist you in learning new music. It is only a suggestion until you learn a system that is best for you.
The success of this program is contingent upon the effective listening skills of the learner much more than upon one's music background or the ability to read music.
Any of the 12 steps may be repeated before continuing to the next step. But remember, each step is important to the overall results of learning all the right notes, words and timing of the song.
Do not eliminate any of the steps because it appears to be insignificant to you.
The Twelve Steps
- Listen to the music on the master tape while you close your eyes. (This will familiarize you with the notes, timing and general flavor of the song.)
- Watch the notes on your music while you listen to the tape. Do not sing yet!
- Again, watch the notes on your music while you listen to the tape. Do not sing yet.
- Watch the words on your music while you listen to the tape. Please, no singing yet!
- On a separate piece of paper, write down all the lyrics to the new song. (You can refer to your music if you need to.) Now, watch your own paper while you listen to the tape. No, not yet ... don't sing, please.
- Watch the notes again while you listen to the tape. Remember, no singing.
- Watch the words on your music while you listen to the tape. Be careful, not a sound.
- Try to write down all the words again on a separate piece of paper without looking at your printed music. If you have trouble, listen to the tape again while you watch the words. Then again try writing it again without looking. Stay on this step until you have all the right words written without looking back at the printed music. Now, proceed to Step 9.
- Hurray! Finally you can add your voice. Watch the notes on your music while you HUM along with the tape. Hum ... hum... Singing is next!
- Watch the words on your music while you sing along with the tape. Can you believe this?
You're really going to SING this song for the very first time!
However, if you have any difficulty, circle the spot on your music as you go all the way through. Then, go back and listen (don't sing) to those parts again. Happy singing!
- Put your own practice tape in your tape recorder. Now, on your own tape, sing the new part all the way through without looking at your music. Bet you can hardly wait to hear this step!
- This is a very improtant step -- You are about to graduate!
Watch the music and listen to your own tape to see if you are correct.
You should be wonderful! But, should you have any doubt, go back and
check your part again on the master tape.
Concentrate on listening to the parts you circled earlier to be sure you have made corrections.
CONGRATULATIONS!
With a little bit of luck plus all your hard work, you are now the proud possessor of one more selection of music made beautiful by your addition of ... ... ... all the correct notes, words and timing.
[Note added by CCK: As a chorus, we are trying to learn our music more quickly than we have in the past. This is one suggested way to do it. If you don't have a tape, try plinking out your part on the piano for the listening part or listen carefully to your section leader in rehearsal. Be creative. If you can make it to step 8, you've learned the words, which is sometimes half the battle.]
[Sweet Adelines International] | [Mount ’n’ Shore, Region 24]
For comments or corrections, send e-mail to
© 2004-2007, Bridger Mountain Harmony Chorus and Carol Kankelborg.
