“So-mi‘s” are for singers.                                                                     “A B C D E F G‘s” are for instruments (including the human voice).

By Grade 3, most students will have seen, used and manipulated  rhythm symbols  (ta, ti-ti, etc.), melody shapes (either by connecting notes on a musical staff or by drawing shapes in the air or on paper  e.g.  roller coaster ride warm-ups), reading simple songs using solfa (so-mi-la) and seen at least a few of the songs they sing in standard musical form.

In Grade 4, students are going to be  confronted with  reading music notes on a 5-line staff using alphabetical names instead of solfa or rhythm names.

Now is the time to consolidate readiness for music reading.

Check here each week for reading readiness activities that may be included during lesson warm-up time or as a quick break between lesson activities.    A few extra minutes at the end of the lessons   — pull a reading readiness activity out from your music bag for extra practice.

Music Readiness 

The music reading alphabet goes   “A B C D E F G A B C”.               Try saying it.    Takes a bit of practice to go straight to “A” from “G” eh?

Introduce the idea of a musical alphabet.

Simple warm-up activity.    Using different beats (kept by tapping something), students say the musical alphabet, round and round, til a signal is given to stop.

Won’t take long to get the rhythm.    Vary the beginning letter,  e.g.  start with “D”    …

Keep tuned: Next Week ideas for tackling the backwards musical alphabet!