Methodological development on music on the topic: Features of the formation of initial singing skills in children of senior preschool age. The concept of “vocal skills” as a problem of music pedagogy and psychology
Vocal exercises as a way to develop singing skills in young and middle-aged students
Kozlova Maria Borisovna, additional education teacher
The article belongs to the section: Music teaching
An outstanding figure in the field of vocal pedagogy, Doctor of Art History, Professor V.A. Bagadurov wrote: “The history of children's vocal pedagogy over the course of a number of centuries shows with absolute clarity that special theories for staging the children's voice have never existed. Some features of working with children’s voices, determined by age and the child’s psyche, the specifics of children’s perception, of course, must be taken into account, but this does not relate to the principles of voice education, but to pedagogical teaching methods.”
The basic principles of vocal education are the same both in professional singing training and in the system of music education at school; both for adult singers and for children. There is a difference only in the specifics of raising a child’s voice, due to psychological characteristics and physiological capabilities at a particular age. When working with children, especially during the mutation period, it is mandatory to use voice-saving technologies. In addition, vocal education of children is carried out using slightly different musical material.
One of the most important tasks of singing is not only preparing the vocal apparatus for work, but also developing basic singing skills in students. We can include among them:
singing installation;
singing breathing and sound support;
high vocal position;
precise intonation;
evenness of sound throughout the entire vocal range;
use of various types of sound science;
diction: articulatory and orthoepic skills.
All vocal skills are closely interconnected, so work on them is carried out in parallel. Naturally, each vocal exercise has the goal of developing some specific skills, but when performing it it is impossible to ignore the others. This is the main difficulty for a little singer - to learn that in order to achieve a sustainable result, it is necessary to use absolutely all the knowledge, skills and abilities acquired in classes.
At the initial stage, it is necessary to cultivate these skills in their elementary form, without achieving the subtleties of this or that technique. In the future, there is a constant consolidation, development and improvement of singing skills, in-depth work on the culture and correctness of sound, the beauty of timbre, subtle and varied nuances on more complex musical material.
An example of the universality of techniques is the “concentric” method of M. I. Glinka. Being the foundation of the Russian vocal school, it can also be the basis of children’s singing education. The requirements formulated by M. I. Glinka are effective in working with children and adults, with poorly trained singers and with professional singers. Data from modern research confirm the correctness of all Glinka’s basic provisions. Of course, they are gradually supplemented based on the identified patterns of voice development.
The “concentric” method includes stable exercises that were developed by M. I. Glinka for systematic use from year to year. They present elements found in vocal and choral works in various versions. The essence of the method is as follows:
The volume, range of the voice, within which you can basically work, for weak, poorly developed singing voices (as well as sick ones) - just a few tones, for healthy singers - an octave. In both cases there should be no tension.
You need to work gradually, without haste.
Under no circumstances should forced sound be allowed.
You should sing at a moderate sound (neither loud nor quiet).
The greatest attention should be paid to sound quality and freedom when singing.
It is of great importance to work on the evenness of sound strength (on one, on different sounds, on a whole phrase). It is advisable to carry out this work in an even more limited range.
It is necessary to equalize all sounds in terms of sound quality.
I would like to note that absolutely all the recommendations of M.I. Glinka meets modern health requirements. After all, it seems to me that the main task of a vocal teacher is to teach how to use the voice in all the diversity of its nuances, to reveal the beauty of timbre, and to develop the endurance of the vocal cords. Our students do not always become professional performers, but the skill of correct use of the vocal apparatus will help them not only in professional activities associated with a large vocal load, but also in communicating with people, will help them make their speech intonationally diverse and literate.
Systematic development of vocal techniques using special exercises leads to a valuable skill - “automatism” of their use. This principle consists of repeatedly performing the simplest operations, during which the vocal apparatus, as a self-regulating system, automatically finds the optimum, while simultaneously training the corresponding muscular systems. Skillful use of a differentiated age range, selection of repertoire in a convenient tessitura, and exclusion of forced sound ensure natural sound, harmonious development of voice-forming organs, and identification of the individual timbre of students.
The influence of singing load on children's health.
It is extremely important to know the effect of singing load on the health of students. The teacher’s knowledge of the age-related features of the development of a child’s voice (especially during the mutation period) contributes to the correct formation of vocal skills, but failure to comply with them leads to impairment and even diseases of the vocal apparatus. Singing is a complex psychophysical process in which all vital systems of the body are involved. In addition to the singing organs, the cardiovascular and neuroendocrine systems also respond to singing load, responding to singing by changing pulse, blood pressure, and body temperature. With the correct singing load, these changes are insignificant and not dangerous to the body. Moreover: systematic singing lessons with the constant supervision of a teacher can play a healing role, in particular, breathing and blood circulation improve, intracranial pressure decreases, the consequences of logoneurosis are mitigated, etc. Also, studies by otolaryngologists show that the treatment of tonsillitis, exacerbations of catarrh of the nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract is facilitated in children who sing in the European academic mixed-covered manner. It is also impossible to exclude the importance of mastering the skill of singing breathing on a support to relieve bronchospasm, which is important for the treatment of children suffering from bronchial asthma.
Thus, we can conclude that a certain level of development of vocal skills is necessary for absolutely everyone - those with bright vocal abilities, those who can correctly intonate within fifths, those who dream of the opera stage, and those who dream of becoming an engineer. Proper singing development contributes not only to the formation of personal qualities, but also to a more harmonious physical development of the child. Based on all that has been said, we come to the conclusion that the main form of voice protection is proper singing education.
Let's move on to the vocal exercises that I use in every lesson to prepare the vocal apparatus for work and develop basic singing skills. One of the most important features is the formation of the skill of “automatism” in performing exercises, so all of them are always sung in a certain sequence, in a certain range based on the child’s primary zone. After some time, even while singing a capella, the children themselves begin to sing from familiar notes, which, of course, indicates that their auditory sensations are well formed.
When working with children aged 7-9 years, I widely use Russian folk songs, which helps to arouse interest in children and instill a love for national melodies. In addition, they are usually concise in their musical ideas, often having a gradual structure that helps young children not focus on the complexity of intonation.
1. Our very first chant is a teaser song. Active articulation and support breathing are formed, which prevents the intonation from slipping from the given note.
2. An exercise that helps you master the wide intonation of the major second and the firm, confident singing of the tonic. You can draw a parallel in the sound of large, medium bells and very small bells. When moving to the second octave, children show a movement with their hand that imitates shaking a small bell. This slight muscle movement is transmitted to the ligaments, and the sound of voices becomes lighter and more intonationally accurate.
3. One of my children's favorite exercises. Before performing it, I ask them to imagine that they have a small bunny sitting on their palm (it can be interesting to ask what kind of bunny each person has - there are gray ones with green eyes, and red ones with blue ones!). While performing the quarter note on the syllable “po,” we show how we stroke it, and on the subsequent eighth notes we make light movements with our hands, depicting how the bunny runs away. It’s so easy, in the game children become familiar with legato and staccato strokes.
4. The following exercise is extremely useful for developing articulation skills and singing skills of a major tetrachord. If there is lethargy in the performance of the top sound, I ask the children to imitate with their hands the movement up and down the ladder, but I ask them to step on the top step from above, and not “crawl” onto it. Usually such a proposal causes smiles and laughter, and, subsequently, the correct execution of the task.
5. The next exercise consists of 5 sounds. Thus, in each exercise we add one sound. When you first bring this to the attention of children, they usually accept this pattern with delight. And, subsequently, they like to tell you how many sounds there are in a particular exercise.
6. We complete the standard chanting with an exercise that combines the need for correct intonation and clarity in the execution of strokes.
This set of chants is mandatory for every lesson. I repeat that the exercises always follow in this order and begin in the given keys. But to develop other skills, or to diversify the chanting process, the following exercises can be used after it.
10. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that, despite the obvious benefits of this exercise, its melody and the love of children, in recent years I have been able to use it less and less in group work. Unfortunately, more and more children are being raised without mothers, so before you start learning it, you need to find out whether everything is fine in the families of the students. Usually this exercise is performed with a chant of the word “mama” in the last two measures. But in my practice I don’t use it, since, as a rule, a progressive downward movement with chanting at a young age leads to detonation.
At age 10, children move on to other exercises. You can trace the continuity in the melodic turns, but they are sung mainly in syllables classical for vocal performance, which increases the importance and significance of this stage of the lesson in the eyes of the child, helping him to feel his “adulthood”.
1. Exercise when moving up, we sing actively emphasizing each note, and when moving down using a legato touch.
2. Formation of a high position of sound, roundness of a vowel, sharp intonation of a third tone, support breathing - only three notes, but how rich the singing of this exercise can be made if you pay attention to all the details! Naturally, at the initial stage of training we focus on any specific point, but then we gradually add other tasks.
3. Variation of the previous exercise.
4. Separate, precise sound of each note and vowel; when moving to the upper register, it is advisable to sing this exercise on the words “forest in spring.” Or you can suggest (not often, as an exception, to overcome the routine of the chanting process) to sing the word “vacuum cleaner” - and it is useful for the formation of the vowel “s”, and makes children smile and joy, but isn’t that what, by and large, is for? we teach them to sing!
5. Conscious phrasing, mastery of support breathing.
6. In this exercise you need to alternate staccato in the first bar and legato in the second bar.
7. A more complicated version of the previous exercise.
8. Staccato stroke, high position of sound, precise intonation, vowel formation, expansion of range.
9. A more complicated version of the previous exercise, requiring wider breathing and evenness of sound throughout the entire range.
10. Overcoming tightness of the larynx, sound evenness throughout the entire range, smoothing registers, using resonators.
This chant ends the set of mandatory exercises. The following exercises are used for children with higher learning abilities.
11. In chants in bars 5 and 6, you need to focus on the execution of the second sound. I usually ask them to slow them down a little and feel how wide and free the seconds sound without “falling over”.
12. An exercise that helps develop lightness and mobility of the voice.
13. Emphasis on the top note and staccato.
14. High sound position, articulation activity.
14. To master a complex diction exercise performed at a fast pace, I use the visual arrangement of syllables in space, marked by hand with a gradual increase in tempo. Graphically it looks like this:
LA-li → LE-li ← LE-li.
In conclusion, it should be noted that only those exercises will be useful for children, the appropriateness of which is clear to the teacher. There are many vocal exercises, but for work we must select only those that, in our opinion, best meet the needs of our students. If the teacher himself does not succeed in an exercise he likes, or if he does not understand what skills it develops, it is better to abandon it altogether, no matter how much he likes it. Let me give you an example from personal practice. Many of my colleagues use the following vocal exercise:
When I performed it, especially at a fast tempo, I felt that the top note turned out flat, with a “blockage” in the larynx. But, as soon as I sang it on two adjacent notes, it turned into an excellent exercise, not only developing diction skills, but also allowing me to lift my palate without much effort and put the top note in a high position.
Vocal skills are a partially automated way of performing an action that is a component of the act of singing.
They are based on the creation and strengthening of conditioned reflex connections, the formation of systems of these connections - dynamic stereotypes with well-trodden transitions from one system to another.
Partial automation of vocal skills occurs as a decrease in consciousness control over the process of performing various singing actions. But the results of these actions are constantly reflected in the consciousness. The automaticity of skills makes it possible to solve more important tasks when singing - performing, artistic tasks.
Without mastering vocal skills, a singer cannot achieve vocal mastery.
That's why primary goal of vocal training is the formation of the correct techniques of singing activity, bringing them to automatism.
Vocal skills are generally considered motor skills. But this is not entirely true. Indeed, in singing there is always muscular movement; without it it is impossible to reproduce sound. But the dominant role in the formation of singing skills is hearing.
When reproducing sound, it is impossible to separately consider the work of hearing as auditory skills, and muscle actions as motor vocal skills. Hearing and vocal motility, although they are anatomically different systems, are physiologically inseparable during singing, because they cannot function separately.
Sound reproduction is carried out through vocal motor skills. Vocal motility is stimulated to action and its work is regulated by hearing, the main regulator of the motor system that reproduces sound.
This combination of hearing and vocal motor skills, in which motor acts are performed under the control of hearing, is classified in psychology as sensorimotor skill. Clarifying the type of vocal vocalization makes it possible to better understand its essence and more accurately determine the methodology for its formation.
In the psychological mechanism of a skill, two main parts are distinguished: indicative and performing.
The first determines how to perform an action, and the second implements them. The success of performing an action depends on the orienting part, the so-called regulatory image.
Therefore, ero formation is given paramount importance when teaching a skill.
In singing, the regulating image is the sound image. To sing something, you need to clearly imagine the sound that will be played.
Hence, the very first stage in the formation of a vocal skill as a sensorimotor one is the creation of a leading sensory – auditory – link, i.e. a vocal-musical image. It will perform orienting and programming functions in relation to vocal motor skills.
Consequently, the main task of the initial stage of formation of vocal skills is the use of a technique that would allow the student to create a regulating vocal-musical image as soon as possible.
The easiest way here is to show the sound by the teacher himself or using a tape recording. This method is very effective.
At the beginning of training, demonstration of the movements necessary for correct voice formation is also used:
movement of the respiratory muscles, lower jaw, lips, form of mouth opening, yawn.
All this must be combined with an explanation.
In this case, the display, which is a means of sensory cognition (the first signal system), is combined with the word (the second signal system), due to which the perception of sound and the ideas formed on this basis become more conscious, stable and better remembered.
The explanation should clearly describe the main qualities of professional sound (roundness, sonority, high positionality, optimal proximity and strength, correct resonance), individual characteristics of timbre coloring, and also indicate methods for achieving the correct sound.
Thus, the student, in unity with sensory knowledge of voice formation, develops knowledge about the basic laws of vocal sound and its reproduction.
The student becomes familiar with professional terminology, which can then be used without demonstration.
In the process of developing and using vocal skills, all the sensations that arise in the singer while singing are important.
This is, first of all, the auditory sensations from the sound he sang. The student compares them with the auditory sensations on the basis of which he reproduced the sound.
If there is a difference between these sensations (error), a new attempt (trial) is made to sing the desired sound correctly, adjusting the way the vocal apparatus works. Tests end when the sung sound corresponds to the presented sound norm. This way the desired method of voice formation will be found.
Resonator and muscle sensations, as well as auditory ones, during singing act as feedback, with the help of which the process of voice formation is controlled and corrected, and vocal skills are formed.
Therefore, during the learning process, the student’s attention should be specially focused on these sensations, and when the correct sound is achieved, help him to understand and remember them well.
The acquisition of vocal skills occurs in several stages. At the initial stage a regulatory vocal-musical image is created, an understanding of how to perform vocal actions is formed, and attempts are made to implement them.
But for a beginning singer, these attempts are still unstable and inaccurate, there are many mistakes and unnecessary movements. He has to carefully monitor all components of sound reproduction, his attention is very intense.
At the next stage conditioned reflex connections are formed in accordance with a given acoustic norm. As training progresses, these connections are strengthened, unnecessary movements and errors are eliminated, the execution of individual actions becomes clear, and their quality improves. They are automated and merge into a single singing act.
This is how systems of conditioned reflex connections are formed - dynamic stereotypes. The singer's attention is largely transferred to the final result - improved sound quality. At this stage In the process of voice formation, along with hearing, vibration and muscle sensations begin to occupy an increasingly important place.
Next comes the plastic adaptability of the process of voice formation (existing dynamic stereotypes) to changes in the situation of sound reproduction (for example, mastering the sound and method of voice production in the upper or lower part of the range, changing the sound depending on the emotional and semantic content of the piece being performed, etc.).
At the last stage, vocal skills acquire flexibility, and the process of their improvement is underway.
In order for a junior schoolchild to develop properly in the choir, it is necessary to develop his basic vocal and choral skills. These include:
1. Singing installation. Students should definitely learn about the singing attitude as the basis for successfully mastering the educational material.
2. Conductor's gesture. Students should be familiar with the types of conducting gestures:
Attention
Breath
Start of singing
The end of the singing
Change the strength of sound, tempo, strokes according to the conductor’s hand
3. Breathing and pauses. The teacher must teach children to master breathing techniques - a silent short breath, support for breathing and its gradual expenditure. At later stages of training, master the technique of chain breathing. Breathing is developed gradually, so at the initial stage of training, the repertoire should include songs with short phrases with the last long note or phrases separated by pauses. Next, songs with longer phrases are introduced. It is necessary to explain to students that the nature of breathing in songs of different movements and moods is not the same. Russian folk songs are best suited for working on breathing development.
4. Sound formation. Formation of a soft attack of sound. It is recommended to use hard materials extremely rarely in works of a certain nature. Exercises play a big role in developing correct sound production. For example, singing in syllables. As a result of work on sound formation, children develop a unified singing style.
5. Diction. Formation of the skill of clear and precise pronunciation of consonants, the skill of active work of the articulatory apparatus.
6. Formation, ensemble. Working on the purity and accuracy of intonation in singing is one of the conditions for maintaining harmony. Purity of intonation is facilitated by a clear awareness of the feeling of “harmony”. You can develop modal perception through mastering the concepts of “major” and “minor”, including various scales and main degrees of the mode in chants, comparing major and minor sequences, and singing a cappella.
In choral singing, the concept of “ensemble” is unity, balance in text, melody, rhythm, dynamics; Therefore, for choral performance, uniformity and consistency in the nature of sound production, pronunciation, and breathing are necessary. It is necessary to teach those who sing to listen to the voices sounding nearby.
Vocal education in the choir is the most important part of all choral work with children. The main condition for the correct setting of vocal education is the preparedness of the leader for singing lessons with younger schoolchildren. The ideal option is when the choirmaster has a beautiful voice. Then all the work is based on demonstrations conducted by the choirmaster himself. But other forms of work also make it possible to successfully solve issues of vocal education. In such cases, the choirmaster often uses demonstration with the help of the children. By comparison, the best samples are selected for display. In every choir there are children who naturally sing correctly, with a beautiful timbre and correct sound production. Systematically applying an individual approach to choristers along with collective vocal work, the teacher constantly monitors the vocal development of each of them. But even with the most correct vocal work, it brings different results for different choristers. We know that just as no two people are identical in appearance, so there are no two identical vocal apparatuses.
Among the well-known methodological techniques for developing hearing and voice, the most common are the following:
1. Hearing development techniques aimed at the formation of auditory perception and vocal-auditory representations:
· auditory concentration and listening to the teacher’s demonstration for the purpose of subsequent analysis of what was heard;
Comparison of various design options in order to select the best one;
introduction of theoretical concepts about the quality of singing sound and elements of musical expressiveness only on the basis of students’ personal experience;
·singing “in a chain”;
Modeling the pitch of sound using hand movements;
·reflection of the direction of movement of the melody using a drawing, diagram, graph, hand signs, musical notation;
·tuning to the key before singing;
· oral dictations;
· isolating particularly difficult intonation patterns into special exercises that are performed in different keys with words or vocalizations;
· in the process of learning a piece, changing the key in order to find the most convenient one for children, where their voices sound best.
·vocalization of singing material with a light staccato sound on the vowel “U” in order to clarify intonation during the attack of a sound and during the transition from sound to sound, as well as to remove force;
·vocalization of songs on the syllable “lu” in order to equalize the timbre sound, achieve a cantilena, hone phrasing, etc.;
· when singing ascending intervals, the upper sound is performed in the position of the lower one, and when singing descending intervals - on the contrary: the lower sound should be tried to be performed in the position of the upper one;
· widening of the nostrils upon entry (or better before inhalation) and maintaining them in this position when singing, which ensures full activation of the upper resonators; during this movement, the soft palate is activated, and the elastic tissues are lined with elastic and harder, which contributes to the reflection of the sound wave when singing and, therefore, cutting the sound;
·targeted control of respiratory movements;
· pronunciation of the text in an active whisper, which activates the respiratory muscles and causes a feeling of sound relying on breathing;
· silent, but active articulation during mental singing based on external sound, which activates the articulatory apparatus and helps the perception of the sound standard;
reciting the words of songs into a chant at the same pitch in slightly elevated voices relative to the range of the speaking voice; The choristers’ attention should be directed to stabilizing the position of the larynx in order to establish a speaking voice;
· variability of tasks when repeating exercises and memorizing song material due to the method of sound study, vocalized syllable, dynamics, timbre, tonality, emotional expressiveness, etc.
The singing attitude is directly related to the singing breathing skill. The three components of breathing are: inhalation, momentary breath holding and exhalation. The most appropriate method for singing is thoraco-abdominal breathing, which involves expansion of the chest in the middle and lower parts when inhaling, with simultaneous expansion of the anterior wall of the abdomen. “Key” breathing, in which children raise their shoulders when inhaling, is unacceptable. The concept of singing support is associated with singing breathing. In singing, it provides the best quality of singing sound, and is also a necessary condition for purity of intonation. But we must not forget that the results can be the opposite: children tense up, sniffle, and raise their shoulders. Breathing when singing can be taken in phrases; if the phrases exceed the physical capabilities of the singing voice, it is necessary to use chain breathing:
· do not inhale at the same time as your neighbor sitting next to you;
· do not inhale at the junction of musical phrases, but only, if possible, within long notes;
· take breath imperceptibly and quickly;
· blend into the overall sound of the choir without accent, with a soft attack and intonation accuracy;
· listen sensitively to the singing of your neighbors and the general sound of the choir.
The breathing mechanism is worked through a number of exercises. No less important in choral singing is the skill of sound production.
Children imitate the speech and singing intonation of adults, try to reproduce the sounds of animals and birds; their hearing improves if the training is done correctly.
Pronunciation in singing is based on the general rules of orthoepy.
Diction in singing is somewhat different from speech pronunciation. One of the specific features of singing diction is the “transfer” of the last consonant sound in syllables to the beginning of the following syllable, which ultimately contributes to the length of the vowel sound in the syllable. At the same time, the role of consonants should not be somewhat underestimated, so that the pronunciation does not complicate the listener’s perception. The skill of clear diction can be used by the work of the articulatory apparatus.
Techniques to promote correct pronunciation of words:
· Expressive reading of texts and songs by adults in the process of learning a song.
· When singing, the endings of words are often pronounced incorrectly. It is necessary to apply techniques for correct pronunciation of words syllable by syllable (with the whole class or one at a time).
When developing the skill of a high singing position, you need to learn:
· Distinguish between high and low sounds, mentally imagine the melody and produce it correctly in your voice. By developing pitch hearing in children, melodic, harmonic and rhythmic hearing develops.
· In the development of pitch perception in children, two main systems are used: absolute and relative. In both systems, it is necessary to make extensive use of visualization in teaching.
The basis of expressive singing, the formation of hearing and voice are vocal and choral skills. From the first lesson, it is necessary to introduce children to the conductor's gesture - auftact (attention). It is necessary to form a singing attitude. A person sits well, which means he sings well.
A set of mandatory requirements: stand or sit upright, relaxed, with your shoulders turned and your head straight. These requirements contribute to correct sound production and the formation of a singing attitude - a very important and in many ways determining moment in choral performance.
The main point in working on vowels is to reproduce them in their pure form, that is, without distortion. In speech, consonants play a semantic role, so inaccurate pronunciation of vowels has little effect on the understanding of words. In singing, the duration of vowels increases several times, and the slightest inaccuracy becomes noticeable and negatively affects the clarity of diction.
The specificity of the pronunciation of vowels in singing lies in their uniform, rounded manner of formation. This is necessary to ensure the timbral evenness of the choir’s sound and achieve unison in choral parts. Alignment of vowels is achieved by transferring the correct vocal position from one vowel to another with the condition of a smooth restructuring of the articulatory structures of the vowels.
From the point of view of the operation of the articulatory apparatus, the formation of a vowel sound is associated with the shape and volume of the oral cavity. Forming vowels in a high singing position in a choir presents a certain difficulty.
The sounds “U, Y” are formed and sound deeper and farther away. But phonemes have a stable pronunciation, they are not distorted; in words, these sounds are more difficult to individualize pronunciation than “A, E, I, O.” They sound approximately the same to different people.
Hence the specific choral use of these sounds when correcting the “variegated” sound of the choir. And unison is achieved more easily on these vowels, and the sound is also well balanced timbrally. When working with works, after singing the melody on the syllables “LYu”, “DU”, “DY” - the performance with words will acquire greater evenness of sound, but again if the choir singers carefully monitor maintaining the same setting of the articulatory organs, as when singing vowels "U" and "Y".
The pure vowel sound “O” has properties that “U, Y” but to a lesser extent.
The condition for clear diction in the choir is an impeccable rhythmic ensemble. Pronunciation of consonants requires increased pronunciation activity.
Formation of consonants as opposed to vowels. associated with the appearance of an obstacle to the flow of air in a speech cycle. Consonants are divided into voiced, sonorant and voiceless, depending on the degree of participation of the voice in their formation.
Following from the function of the vocal apparatus, we place sonorant sounds in 2nd place after vowels: “M, L, N, R.” They got this name because they can stretch and often stand on a par with vowels. These sounds achieve a high singing position and a variety of timbre colors.
Further, the voiced consonants “B, G, V, Zh, Z, D” are formed with the participation of vocal folds and oral noises. Voiced consonants, as well as sonorants, achieve a high singing position and a variety of timbre colors. The syllables “Zi” achieve closeness, lightness, and transparency of sound.
Voiceless “P, K, F, S, T” are formed without the participation of the voice and consist of only noise. These are not sounds that sound, but guides. It has an explosive character, but the larynx does not function on voiceless consonants; it is easy to avoid forced sound when vocalizing vowels with preceding voiceless consonants. At the initial stage, this serves to develop clarity of the rhythmic pattern and creates conditions when vowels acquire a more voluminous sound (“Ku”). It is believed that the consonant “P” rounds the vowel “A” well.
The hissing “X, C, Ch, Sh, Shch” consist of nothing but noise.
The voiceless “F” is good to use in silent breathing exercises.
The basic rule of diction in singing is the rapid and clear formation of consonants and the maximum length of vowels: active work of the muscles of the articulatory apparatus, cheek and labial muscles, and the tip of the tongue. To achieve clarity of diction, we pay special attention to working on the development of the tip of the tongue, after which the tongue becomes completely flexible, we work on the elasticity and mobility of the lower jaw, and with it the hyoid bone of the larynx. To train the lips and the tip of the tongue, we use different tongue twisters. For example: “Dust flies across the field from the clatter of hooves,” etc. Everything should be pronounced with firm lips, with the tongue actively working.
Consonants in singing are pronounced short compared to vowels. Especially hissing and whistling “S, Sh” because they are well picked up by the ear, they must be shortened, otherwise when singing they will create the impression of noise and whistling. There is a rule for connecting and separating consonants: if one word ends and another begins with the same or approximately the same consonant sounds (d-t; b-p; v-f), then at a slow pace they need to be emphasized, and at a fast pace When such sounds occur over short durations, they need to be combined in a distinct manner. The development of rhythmic sense begins from the very first moment of the choir’s work. Durations are actively counted using the following counting methods: out loud in chorus rhythmic pattern; tap (clap) the rhythm and at the same time read the rhythm of the song. After this setting, solfage, and only then sing with the words.
The rhythmic features of the ensemble are also caused by the general requirements for taking breath, always at the right tempo. When changing tempos or during pauses, do not allow the duration to lengthen or shorten. An extraordinary role is played by the simultaneous entry of the singers, taking breath, attacking and releasing the sound.
To achieve expressiveness and accuracy of rhythm, we use exercises for rhythmic fragmentation, which subsequently turns into internal pulsation and gives timbre richness.
The final stages of developing choral skills are practicing singing breathing and actually learning songs. According to many choir leaders, children should use abdominal breathing (formation as in adults). The most common shortcomings of singing in children are the inability to form a sound, a tight lower jaw (nasal sound, flat vowels), poor diction, short and noisy breathing. The development of vocal and choral singing skills is more effective when musical training is carried out systematically, in close connection between the teacher and students, against the backdrop of the formation of a general musical culture of the child at primary school age and, finally, taking into account the age and personal qualities of the child.
Basic Singing Skills
SINGING SETUP
An important point for proper breathing, especially at the beginning of training, is the singing attitude, i.e. correct position of the head and body. When singing while standing, you need to keep your head straight, without throwing it back or lowering it down, also keep your body straight, without tension, stand firmly on both legs, distributing the weight of the body evenly, and lower your arms freely. When singing while sitting (in choir classes), you need to sit straight, without bending your back, keeping your hands on your knees, putting your feet together, bending them at a right angle.
Everything said above applies to working on the breathing of singers both solo and in a choral group. Work on breathing in the choir is also accompanied by a conductor’s gesture, which contains not only an emotional beginning, but also a demonstration of technique, the nature of breathing, and sound.
Includes:
Oral and nasal cavities with accessory cavities
Pharynx
Trachea
Bronchi
Lungs
Thorax with respiratory muscles and diaphragm
Abdominal muscles
Nervous system: the corresponding nerve centers of the brain with motor and sensory nerves connecting these centers with all these organs (The work of the vocal organs cannot be considered without connection with the central nervous system, which organizes their functions into a single, integral singing process, which is a complex psychophysical act)
DICTION
DICTION - pronunciation, degree of clarity of speaking. Clear pronunciation of individual sentences and sound combinations as a whole is an indicator of speech culture. Disadvantages of diction: burr, nasal tone, monotony, haste, swallowing the endings of words, slurredness. Improving diction is of great importance, for example, for teachers, students, etc. The basis of diction is the clear pronunciation of each individual sound and sound combinations. Before speech can be understood, it must be heard and perceived by ear. The clearer the words are spoken, the easier it is to understand them. The key to good diction is the correct articulation of sounds. The basis of articulation is a set of pronunciation movements of the speech organs, which include the tongue, lips and soft palate with the uvula (active organs), as well as teeth and hard palate (passive organs). Often, deficiencies in diction are explained by lethargy and passivity of articulation. Sluggish and therefore unclear diction is the result of improper speech education
ARTICULATION
Articulation is the coordination of the action of the speech organs when pronouncing speech sounds, which is carried out by the speech zones of the cortex and subcortical formations of the brain. When pronouncing a certain sound, auditory and kinesthetic, or speech motor, control is realized. Underdevelopment of phonemic hearing (for example, in the hearing impaired) significantly complicates the acquisition of correct articulation.
SINGING RESONATORS
A resonator is primarily a sound amplifier. It is usually said that the singer's resonators serve to form the vowels. This is an important, but far from their only role. The resonators of the singer's vocal tract not only transform the spectrum of the vocal source (folds), but can significantly enhance the sound as a whole.
A simple experiment makes it possible to verify that the weak sound of a tuning fork is amplified many times over if a resonator is attached to it, for example, resting the leg on the soundboard of a piano. By specially selecting a resonator for a given tuning fork, a very large sound amplification can be achieved. In this case, no violation of the law of conservation of energy occurs. It is known that any oscillating body does not completely convert its vibrational energy into sound: part of it is inevitably spent on overcoming friction, turns into heat, etc. The participation of the resonator is manifested in the fact that most of the vibrational energy of the vibrator turns into sound. Thus, the resonator increases the efficiency of the sound source, that is, its useful sound output. This means that the resonator amplifies the sound without requiring virtually any additional energy from the sound source.
This most important theoretical position is of great importance for the practice of singing, since the singer’s vocal apparatus, as an acoustic device, obeys all the laws of acoustics (of course, as well as the laws of psychophysiology).
The activity of resonators is manifested not only in amplification of sound, but also in increased vibration (tremor) of their walls under the influence of resonance. We perceive this vibration in the form of characteristic sensations of chest or head resonance of sound when singing. We studied the activity of singing resonators using special vibration sensors that made it possible to measure the intensity of their vibration. Studies have shown that the vibration of resonators in good singers is more pronounced than in poor or non-vocalists, even at the same sound intensity.
BREATH
Breathing is one of the main factors in voice formation. In our ordinary life, we do not think about how we breathe. The body carries out this process automatically and in colloquial speech: when inhaling, the volume of the chest increases and the lungs are filled with air; exhalation also occurs automatically when the body needs to get rid of carbon dioxide.
During singing, the breathing process is organized differently. The singer is faced with the task of prolonged phonation, usually much louder than in speech. Accordingly, incomparably greater loads fall on the muscles of the respiratory apparatus. Breathing is the motor force that activates the vocal apparatus. All types of singing technique directly depend on breathing control.
TYPES OF BREATHING
Breathing is the motor force that activates the vocal apparatus. Usually people use mixed breathing, which involves the chest and diaphragm. In singing, the performer faces special tasks of voice formation; vocalists adapt their breathing for the best respiratory support. Men, in most cases, use deeper, lower breathing using the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Women often breathe shallowly, using the large muscles of the upper chest. Despite the uniform structure of the respiratory apparatus, it is customary to distinguish between several types of breathing:
Chest breathing
(clavicular, clavicular)
Breathing is performed by expanding the upper part of the chest, the diaphragm is turned off from the active respiratory function and passively follows its movements. With this type of breathing, the collarbones and shoulders (upper chest) rise noticeably and the abdomen retracts.
Abdominal breathing
(diaphragmatic, abdominal)
When inhaling, the chest remains motionless, and the stomach moves forward slightly. There is a struggle between the diaphragm (inhalation) and the abdominal muscle group (exhalation). There are upper abdominal and lower abdominal breathing. In both cases, inhalation is produced by contraction of the diaphragm and a change in tension in that part of the abdominal press, which works more actively during exhalation. With upper abdominal breathing, this is the epigastric region; with lower abdominal breathing, this is the lower part of the abdomen.
Thoradiaphragmatic breathing
(mixed, costoabdominal)
The chest and diaphragm are equally involved in the breathing process. With this type of breathing, the lungs and lower ribs expand to the sides, the diaphragm, contracting, lowers without tension, and the walls of the abdomen move forward somewhat; The abdominal muscles are activated, which help you take a deeper breath in order to stock up on enough air. The shoulders and upper chest remain motionless.
This type of breathing is the most common, since with it the volume of air taken in increases due to the simultaneous active work of the chest and diaphragm; the abdominal muscles support breathing, give it elasticity and strength; it becomes possible to naturally coordinate the air supply with other parts of the vocal apparatus.
When singing, exhalation is always longer than inhalation, since a musical phrase requires a certain time to perform, and inhalation, as a rule, is instantaneous. At the same time, the diaphragm remains active to slow down exhalation, that is, to lengthen it. This is helped by the front wall of the abdomen, which retracts during exhalation.
ORGANIZATION OF SINGING INHALE AND EXHALETION
As mentioned above, breathing consists of two phases, different in their functions, but equally important in their meaning.
Inhalation (the first phase) performs two functions: filling the lungs with air and bringing the vocal apparatus into a state of readiness before a sound attack. The inhalation should be mixed (through the nose and mouth), energetic, fairly fast, deep, full and silent. The ribs should quickly move apart, the diaphragm should lower (contract), slightly pushing the front wall of the abdomen forward. Inhalation opens the larynx to allow inhaled air to pass through.
The singing breath is taken with the sensation of a half-yawn, which has a great influence on singing phonation. With the help of a half-yawn, the cavity of the pharynx expands and its resonator capacity increases, the soft palate rises, which creates the conditions for the correct formation of the voice - its rounding and high position. You should not think that when singing you need to take in as much air as possible. Inhalation should be moderate and relaxed. You can imagine that you are inhaling the wonderful smell of flowers before starting to sing.
Beginning vocalists, first of all, need to eliminate harmful movements that can interfere with the successful development of singing breathing (the habit of hunching or raising your shoulders when inhaling). You need to wean yourself from gusty, convulsive breaths and noisy breathing. Noise during inhalation appears from poor expansion of the trachea and bronchi, as well as from friction of passing air against insufficiently opened vocal cords. Noisy breathing is unsightly and harmful to the ligaments. To eliminate this deficiency, it is necessary to work on deep, calm breathing and the feeling of a “half-yawn,” while fixing the singer’s attention on the noise accompanying the inhalation. Sometimes, already at the beginning of singing a musical phrase, a rapid “collapse” of the chest walls occurs. This indicates that the singer does not maintain an inhalation position while singing, and therefore there is no support.
Inhalation must be consciously controlled.
The body must take the correct support.
The inhalation should be active, with the feeling of a half-yawn.
There should be no feeling of discomfort from excess air in the lungs.
The inhalation should be invisible to the eyes and ears of the listeners.
Inhalation is not made at the last moment before phonation, but a little earlier.
Exhalation (second phase) is of great importance for the formation of high-quality phonation. The evenness of sound production and the density of sound attack depend on the nature of the exhalation. The singing sound appears at the moment of exhalation, and further singing occurs with the help of exhalation. When exhaling, the air should come out of the lungs smoothly, without shocks. At this time, the diaphragm rises and the anterior wall of the abdomen retracts.
At the moment preceding the onset of sound, the upper part of the vocal apparatus - the pharynx and oral cavity (extension tube) - must take the form of future phonation. The lower jaw drops easily, the pharynx (pharynx) opens by reflexively (voluntarily) raising the velum with a small tongue upward. The air escaping from the lungs enters the well-prepared, open shape of the extension tube. In this way, conditions are created for the formation of the correct covered sound with the sensation of the vowel “O”.
The exhalation process is carried out by the intercostal respiratory muscles, as well as the muscles of the diaphragm and abdomen (abdominals). The abdominal muscles and diaphragm regulate the singing exhalation, and the rib cage makes it volumetric and powerful. In vocal pedagogical practice, this is called sound support on the diaphragm and the use of a chest resonator.
The most important task of singing breathing is to maximize the conversion of air into sound waves. This ensures a controlled and regulated exhalation. The breath must be expended so that it all turns into sound. It is necessary to apply breathing smoothly, without weakening it or pushing it, so as not to destroy the established coordination. In a phrase, it is important to distribute the breath so that the sound is well supported by it all the time, and so that by the end of the phrase there is enough breathing. The paradox of singing breathing is that the volume of the chest does not fall while the breath is expended.
You should not hold your breath, as this does not make it possible to organize a correct attack of sound and smooth vocal delivery.
Phonation should not be started without sufficient respiratory support. To avoid this, after a moderate inhalation, you need to do an instant “breath-hold.”
You need to exhale smoothly, in a collected stream, with good pressure.
The singing volume of the chest should not fall when exhaling.
It is useful to exhale the excess breath at the end of the musical phrase before starting a new breath.
BREATH HOLDING
The most significant moment is holding your breath. Normal breathing is done as follows: inhale – exhale – pause. During singing breathing, this process changes: inhalation - retention - exhalation - release of breath. That is, just before exhalation (attack of sound) there is a pause, during which the body must be as active as possible, otherwise the sound will be sluggish.
Holding your breath is an active pause. It is done like this: a quick breath is taken, after which the air is not released immediately, but is held in the lungs for a moment. The lower ribs are spread, the diaphragm is lowered, the anterior wall of the abdomen is prepared for contraction. There is a complete stop of the breathing process before the start of exhalation - the moment of sound attack. At this time, there is a struggle between the will and the body’s desire to free itself from processed air. In this case, breathing is in the “inhalation unit”, the larynx and the organs of the extension tube are free and not tense. At this delay, you should attack the sound, using the attack that in this case is most appropriate and corresponds to the desired sound. The state (coordination) that occurs during the attack must be maintained throughout the subsequent sound. To do this, you need not to weaken your breathing, not to push, but to maintain your exhalation smoothly.
Holding your breath activates the entire respiratory apparatus before the moment of sound attack and creates a feeling of “breathing support” in the singer. The pause between inhalation and exhalation (sound attack) should be instantaneous, but it is important to remember that this instantaneous “hold” of the breath is very important:
Holding your breath activates exhalation.
Eliminates loss of breath at the beginning of a phrase.
It is the moment of readiness and coordination of all organs involved in sound production.
This is the moment of fixation of the inhalation unit.
One of the oldest, most widespread and at the same time one of the least deciphered terms is associated with singing breathing - the so-called singing support. The term comes from the Italian "to maintain one's voice." It is the singing support that gives the voice its inherent great strength, flight, singing timbre, and most importantly, tirelessness, that is, the most important professional qualities. When singing “without support,” the walls of the chest quickly collapse, that is, the exhalation is uncontrollable, forced, the sound is lifeless, dull, often without vibrato. When singing “on support,” the high singing formant is well expressed, the voice is bright, sonorous, flighty, rich in overtones.
Thus, the singing support is a special organization of the expiratory process during phonation, that is, its active inhibition, expressed in the voluntary obstruction of the collapse of the chest walls. In this case, one feels as if inhaling during phonation exhalation (inhalation installation), but breathing is not blocked, but restrained. The muscles of the respiratory apparatus should not be constrained, and breathing should not be restricted. When creating a feeling of breathing support in the singer, after inhaling and holding the breath, the exhalation is done smoothly, the lower ribs should fall gradually, and not immediately, the feeling of braking is maintained until the end of the exhalation, as a result, an economy of breathing is created. The air is not released immediately, but gradually and during phonation it turns into sound. The use of the “delay” technique creates a feeling of “breathing support”, which, if maintained in the subsequent process of singing, in turn creates conditions for the development of “sound support”.
Breathing is one of the main moments in singing, so there cannot be “sound support” without “breathing support.” But the feeling of the “support of sound” does not yet determine the sound itself, since the sound on the support can have a different character: be open, have an attack, articulation, etc. To create a sound support, it is necessary, after holding your breath, to lower the lower jaw and, as it were, lift the palatine curtain, which will give the correct shape of the extension tube. The sound will become more covered and elastic, and the attack will be active, without entrances. “Sound support” is achieved by the interaction of all parts of the vocal apparatus, i.e. breathing, attack, articulation. The feeling of voice support should be understood as a peculiar sensation that accompanies the correct “supported” singing voice formation, the correct coordination in the work of the vocal apparatus, which gives rise to a supported sound. The feeling of support is expressed differently by different singers. Some believe that this is a peculiar sensation of a column of air, supported from below by the abdominal muscles and resting on the palatine vault. Others understand by the feeling of support a certain degree of tension in the expiratory muscles, which supply the necessary air pressure to the vocal cords. The third is the emphasis of sound on the front teeth or the palatine vault.
The concept of sound support includes sensations of increased subglottic pressure, tension of the respiratory and laryngeal muscles, and resonator sensations. The feeling of support is an essential aspect of singing, as it creates a feeling of confidence and comfort in sound production. The vocalist’s recording of the peculiarities of the respiratory apparatus in singing, the ability to analyze his breathing sensations and use them to control sound production is one of the ways to master the singing sound.
Singing breathing develops slowly, along with the organization of the parts of the singing apparatus. Calm, moderate in quantity, deep breath, a slight “hold” of breath before a sound attack, smooth flow of breath and the ability to distribute it correctly - these are the basic principles of breathing that students should use. To develop such breathing, sound (singing) exercises are necessary. Training should be daily until you fully master the technique. Silent breathing exercises are a good aid for strengthening the respiratory muscles. Only strict discipline and organization of breathing will result in the desired freedom and ease of control during singing. When performing works, vocalists must look for those techniques and colors of breathing that correspond to the given work.
ARTICULATING APPARATUS
The articulatory apparatus is an anatomical and physiological system of organs, including the larynx, vocal folds, tongue, soft and hard palate (oropharynx), teeth of the upper and lower jaw (see bite), lips, nasopharynx (upper part of the pharynx, located behind the nasal cavity, communicating with it through the choanae and conditionally limited from the oral part of the pharynx by the plane in which the hard palate lies) and resonator cavities involved in the generation of speech and voice sounds.
Objectives of teaching singingThe main requirement of the program is to teach the child to expressively, sincerely perform simple, understandable, interesting songs.
The artistic and pedagogical significance of singing is to help children correctly understand the content of musical images, master the necessary skills, and express their feelings in relaxed, natural singing. For example, when performing a lullaby, emphasize caring, affection, tenderness, show
that the song calms you down and helps you fall asleep, so it should be performed quietly, melodiously, at a slow tempo, with a uniform rhythm, gradually fading away. The march requires cheerfulness, aspiration, vivacity. It should be sung loudly, clearly pronouncing the words, emphasizing the rhythm at a moderately fast tempo. The child understands the meaning of these requirements and their purpose.
The main tasks during the lessons are as follows: to develop children’s singing skills, skills that contribute to expressive performance;
teach children to perform songs with the help of a teacher and independently, accompanied or unaccompanied by an instrument, in and outside of class;
develop an ear for music, teaching one to distinguish between correct and incorrect singing, the pitch of sounds, their duration, the direction of movement of the melody, to hear oneself while singing, to notice and correct mistakes (auditory self-control);
develop the voice, forming a natural child’s sound, strengthening and expanding the singing range, overcoming the monotonous “hum” of low and imprecise singing children;
help the manifestation of creative abilities, independent use of familiar songs in games, round dances, and playing children's musical instruments.
All subsequent singing activities of the child - in everyday life, at holidays, entertainment, which arose on his initiative or at the suggestion of adults in kindergarten and family - largely depend on the correct organization of teaching singing in the classroom.
Singing skills and abilities
To successfully solve problems, it is necessary to teach children skills and abilities, which include singing attitude, vocal and choral skills.
Singing installation- this is the correct pose. While singing, children should sit straight, without raising their shoulders, without hunching, leaning slightly on the back of a chair, which should correspond to the child’s height. Place your hands on your knees.
Vocal skills is the interaction of sound production, breathing and diction. The inhalation should be fast, deep and silent, and the exhalation should be slow. The words are pronounced clearly and clearly. It is important to monitor the correct position of the tongue, lips, and free movements of the lower jaw.
Choral skills- this is the interaction of the ensemble and the structure. Ensemble translated from French means “unity”, i.e. the correct ratio of the strength and height of choral sound, the development of unison and timbre. Build - this is precise, pure singing intonation.
Teaching vocal and choral skills to preschool children has a number of features.
Sound formation When properly positioned, the voice should be clear and light. However, one must take into account the imperfection of a child’s voice and its rapid fatigue. Children can't last long
Table 5
Singing skills as a means of teaching expressive singing
Vocal and choral skills |
Age groups |
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2nd youngest |
preparatory school |
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Vocal skills |
Expressive singing without tension, smoothly: |
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Sound formation |
|
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Light sound: |
Sing with a light moving sound: |
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Take a breath between short musical phrases: |
Taking a breath between musical phrases |
Take a breath before you start |
|||||
Pronounce words clearly |
Pronounce words clearly and correctly |
Pronounce words clearly |
Pronounce the words clearly, |
||||
Choral skills |
|||||||
Tuning (purity of intonation) |
The same skill in all groups is to convey the melody correctly. But |
||||||
Ensemble (coherence) |
Sing without falling behind or ahead of each other |
Start and finish a song together |
Start and end a song at the same time; sing moderately loudly and quietly |
Everyone starts and finishes the song together; sing, speeding up and slowing down: |
|||
|
|||||||
Note. The table (under numbers 1-16) shows excerpts of the following songs for different age groups: |
Sing at different tempos, increasing and decreasing the sound: |
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and sing loudly. Kids sing in a “talk”, they lack melodiousness. Older children can sing melodiously, but sometimes become loud and tense. Preschoolers' breathing is shallow and short, so they often take a breath in the middle of a word or musical phrase, thereby disrupting the melody of the song.
Diction(clear pronunciation of words) is formed gradually. Many children have speech defects: burr, lisp, which take a long time to eliminate. The lack of clear and distinct diction makes singing sluggish and weak.
Children find it difficult to sing in the ensemble. Often they are ahead of the general sound or behind it, trying to outshout others. Toddlers, for example, sing only the last words of phrases.
It is even more difficult for children to master the skill of harmonious singing - purely intonation. Individual differences are especially noticeable. Only a few intonate easily and accurately, while the majority sing imprecisely, choosing intonation arbitrarily. It is necessary to work on developing this skill.
Development of singing skills and abilities
Vocal and choral skills are acquired in the process of learning songs. Skills become more complex and change as more and more complex pieces are learned. This can be seen from Table 5 (see p. 81), which shows the system of singing skills for children from 3 to 7 years old. Using the table, you can see how complex a particular vocal and choral skill becomes as it develops (horizontally) and what the total volume of program requirements is in each age group (vertically). Individual musical examples illustrate those parts of the melody where the use of appropriate skills is required.
By the end of the year, children should be able to:
2nd junior group - sing the simplest songs with the help of a teacher and with musical accompaniment;
middle group - sing with and without instrumental accompaniment (the easiest songs);
senior group - sing with a teacher without musical accompaniment and independently accompanied by an instrument; remember and sing a learned song; distinguish between correct and incorrect singing by ear; distinguish sounds by their height and duration; be able to maintain the correct posture while singing;
preparatory group - expressively perform familiar songs with and without accompaniment; remember and sing songs learned in previous groups; be able to sing collectively and individually, while maintaining correct posture; listen to yourself and others while singing and correct mistakes; distinguish between the movement of a melody up and down, long and short sounds; know the names of the notes (when using musical instruments - metal
backgrounds); have an idea that higher sounds are located higher on the musical lines, and low ones are lower (a conventional graphic image - a “bird” - sits on the upper line and sings high); improvise various onomatopoeias and chants based on acquired singing skills.
These requirements are important because musical education in the classroom takes place in an atmosphere of great enthusiasm; the process of learning songs and their subsequent performance seems continuous and does not seem to have precisely measurable results, which occur, for example, when teaching numeracy and literacy. In addition, much of the musical educational work is designated only as a task. For example, the task of developing musical ear is formulated in programs for young children. But as a certain result, as an acquired skill of distinguishing musical sounds by their pitch, it is mentioned only in the older group. The teacher needs to establish what he has taught the children over the year, which of the children have done well in their musical development or, conversely, still have difficulty in something, whether the children can sing songs and which ones, etc. The result of pedagogical work must be consistently taken into account .
The program formulates certain knowledge and skills that do not yet have sufficient application in everyday practice, for example, song creativity. At the same time, the requirements for improving the preparation of children for learning in primary school necessitate the development of these skills.
Preparing to learn to sing from notes
A 6-7 year old child is gradually preparing to sing from notes. This is a difficult task. It is complicated by the fact that a seven-year-old child must be able to correlate the height and duration of the sounds perceived by ear.
musical sounds with their musical notation. If in preschool age a child does not develop musical-sensory abilities that help him listen, compare, and distinguish sounds, then learning at school will be difficult. The child must be brought closer to conventional graphic images (pictures, cards, note circles), using which he can visualize that a higher sound is depicted higher, that a wide card depicts a longer sound, and a narrow one - a short one, etc. etc. In kindergarten they are not yet introduced to the staff of music, but they are already taught to place circles of notes on it, sing a scale with the names of sounds, etc.
Here are some examples of songs, by learning which children acquire skills: distinguish sounds by pitch and duration, determine the direction of movement of the melody.
"Cockerel", Russian folk song:
[Leisurely]
Children stretch out the last sound in each measure and note its duration (it sounds longer than the previous ones). “Mom’s Holiday”, music by E. Tilicheeva:
[Live]
Children note that the melody is moving downwards. “May Song”, music by E. Tilicheeva:
[With movement]
The melody moves first up and then down.
All these skills are also strengthened when learning to play children's musical instruments and when learning musical-rhythmic movements.
To systematically and systematically introduce children to this knowledge and skills, a methodological system has been developed, set out in the “Musical Primer”, which will be described in the following paragraphs.
Song creativity
Development opportunity song creativity Composers B. Asafiev, D. Kabalevsky, psychologist B. Teplov, musicians-teachers L. Barenboim, N. Vetlugina, K. Golovskaya, A. Khodkova are noted among preschool children. It is known that, on their own initiative, even small children can vary some melodic turns from several sounds and, having chosen one they like, hum it for a long time. These small improvisations are of aesthetic value and, most importantly, help the child satisfy the need for music and express his experiences. If you guide the creative process, then children receive more active musical development: they freely use singing intonations, quickly learn the melodies of songs, they develop auditory control over their performance, etc.
The singing program for the kindergarten preparatory group provides for the development of creative improvisations and singing. Children are offered a series of gradually more difficult tasks. At first, these are self-invented singing intonations: imitating the singing of a cuckoo, hooting in the forest, inventing roll calls (“Lena, where are you?” - “I’m here.” - “What’s your name?” - “Marina”, etc. .), then more detailed musical questions and
answers and, finally, improvisation on a given text. Creative tasks when learning to sing take little time in class, but require systematic exercise.
Thus, in the process of learning to sing:
the tasks of familiarizing oneself with a variety of songs are realized that enrich the child’s spiritual world, inducing good feelings, aesthetic experiences, the development of interests and the first manifestations of musical taste;
vocal and choral skills are acquired, which gradually become more complex from group to group and are associated with the complication of songs;
melodic ear gradually improves, which creates the basis for further learning to sing from notes;
learning acquires a conscious, active character; children are introduced to the elements of musical literacy, given some information about musical terms, the nature of the performance (singing, moving, abruptly, slowly, quickly), about the form of the work (single, refrain, introduction, phrase);
creative inclinations develop that enrich the personality as a whole;
familiar songs learned in classes, holidays, entertainment, in independent activities, rhythmic movements, playing children's musical instruments, as well as in artistic reading, physical education, drawing, walking, and games are used.
The singing training program contains the tasks of developing interest in singing, teaching singing skills, developing voice and hearing, as well as creative manifestations.