3 Do Do Hand Gestures

Summary

This video explains the unique teaching method that combines gross motor skills and solfege syllables to help children become comfortable with singing. It highlights the historical origins of solfege and how using hand gestures to represent pitches helps children subconsciously control vocal folds. The video provides a practical demonstration of the solfege scale, showing the physical hand movements for each pitch, emphasizing the difference between whole and half steps. This method engages both the body and voice to make learning music more interactive and intuitive for children.

Takeaways

• 😀 Solfege is a system of syllables used for pitch recognition in a major scale: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do.
• 🎶 Solfege syllables come from a 12th-century hymn to Saint John the Baptist, with each line starting on progressively higher pitches.
• 🤲 The method incorporates gross motor skills and hand gestures to help children feel the distances between pitches more comfortably.
• 🖐️ The hand gestures correspond to specific solfege syllables and help the child subconsciously control their vocal folds.
• 🎵 A whole step exists between do and re, and between re and mi, but a half-step between mi and fa, and ti and do.
• 🤔 Solfege hand gestures help teach children the relative distances between pitches, using their body to 'feel' the scale.
• 👶 This method is designed to make singing and pitch recognition more accessible and comfortable for children.
• 🙋‍♂️ The syllables 'do' and 're' correspond to different body positions (belly button and chest) to reinforce pitch distinctions.
• 👆 Solfege is a universal tool used for pitch, but this method links it with body movements to make learning more physical and intuitive.
• 🎤 The exercise involves moving the hands up and down to show pitch changes, which helps with physical understanding of musical scales.

Q & A

What is solfege, and where do its syllables come from?

Solfege is a system of syllables used to represent the pitches of a major scale. The syllables (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti) originated from a 12th-century hymn to Saint John the Baptist, where each line of the hymn began on progressively higher pitches.

How does the hand gesture system work with solfege syllables?

The hand gestures correspond to specific solfege syllables and are used to help children physically experience the distances between musical pitches. For example, 'do' is represented near the belly button, and 're' is at the middle of the chest, with each gesture indicating a different pitch in the scale.

What purpose do the hand gestures serve in this method of teaching singing?

The hand gestures help children visualize and physically feel the relative distances between pitches in the scale, aiding in pitch recognition and control. They also help in subconsciously activating the muscles involved in vocal production, making it easier for children to internalize musical intervals.

Why are 'do' and 'ti' placed closer together in the hand gesture system?

The syllables 'do' and 'ti' represent a half-step interval, which is a smaller distance between pitches. In the hand gesture system, these two syllables are placed closer together to reflect this smaller physical distance between the notes.

What is the significance of using gross motor skills in teaching music with solfege?

Using gross motor skills (such as hand gestures) helps engage the whole body in the learning process. This method not only reinforces musical concepts like pitch and intervals but also helps children feel and physically understand the relationships between notes in a more intuitive way.

Can you explain the physical positions for each solfege syllable?

In this method, the hand positions are as follows: 'do' is placed near the belly button, 're' at the middle of the chest, 'mi' near the chin, and 'fa', 'sol', and 'la' are placed progressively higher on the body. 'Ti' is positioned close to 'do' to reflect the half-step interval.

What role does the concept of whole and half steps play in the solfege system?

Whole and half steps are the fundamental intervals in a major scale. In the solfege system, a whole step occurs between 'do' and 're', 're' and 'mi', while half-steps occur between 'mi' and 'fa', and between 'ti' and 'do'. These intervals are physically represented by the placement of the hand gestures on the body.

How do the hand gestures support the physical control of vocal folds?

The hand gestures help children subconsciously feel the distance between pitches, triggering the muscles in the vocal folds to adjust pitch accordingly. By visually and physically mapping out the pitch intervals, children can more easily control the size and tension of their vocal folds to match the correct pitch.

What makes the solfege method effective for teaching young children to sing?

The solfege method is effective for young children because it combines auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning. The use of solfege syllables, hand gestures, and physical movement helps children internalize musical concepts in a way that is engaging, interactive, and easy to understand.

What is the historical origin of the solfege syllables, and how does this history relate to their use?

The solfege syllables originated in a 12th-century hymn to Saint John the Baptist, where each line of the hymn began on progressively higher pitches. This historical context provides insight into the syllables' purpose and how they have been used for centuries to help individuals learn to sing and recognize pitch.