Pitch and Intonation
Hear the note before you play or sing it.
Unison Matching
- Goal
- Match a reference pitch from memory.
- Level
- Beginner
Steps
- Sound A from a reliable reference (A4, or the octave that suits your voice).
- Pause for two seconds.
- Play or sing the same pitch.
- Repeat ten times.
- How to check it
- Sound it with the reference: beats or wavering mean you are not yet in tune.
- Next
- Try three neighboring pitches in a comfortable range.
Hearing a Whole Step
- Goal
- Sing a major second accurately.
- Level
- Beginner
Steps
- Play C4 then D4.
- Sing the second pitch from memory.
- Check it on the instrument.
- How to check it
- You sang a whole step, not a half step.
- Next
- Transpose to F4 and G4.
Mapping the Minor Third
- Goal
- Feel the size of a minor third up and down.
- Level
- Beginner
Steps
- Play A3 then C4.
- Pause.
- Sing both notes up and then down.
- How to check it
- The leap is the right size and you return exactly to A.
- Next
- Compare A3–C4 (minor third) with A3–C♯4 (major third).
Perfect-Fifth Anchor
- Goal
- Lock in a stable perfect fifth.
- Level
- Beginner
Steps
- Play C4 then G4.
- Hold G4 for four beats.
- Return to C4.
- How to check it
- The fifth sounds stable and the step back to C is exact.
- Next
- Repeat starting on D4.
Landing on a Scale Degree
- Goal
- Find a scale degree without sliding to it.
- Level
- Beginner
Steps
- Start a C drone.
- Sing C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C.
- Jump straight to scale degree 3 (E).
- How to check it
- E is centered at once, with no scoop from another pitch.
- Next
- Land directly on degree 6 and then degree 7.
Chromatic Semitone Control
- Goal
- Keep a half step narrow and clear.
- Level
- Intermediate
Steps
- Sound a reference tone.
- Sing E4–F4–E4 slowly.
- Hold each note for two beats.
- How to check it
- The half step stays small and each note is distinct.
- Next
- Repeat with B3–C4–B3.
Tuning to a Drone
- Goal
- Hold the tonic and the fifth steady against a drone.
- Level
- Intermediate
Steps
- Start a G drone.
- Sustain G for eight seconds in a comfortable octave.
- Sing D, a fifth above, against the same drone.
- How to check it
- Both notes hold steady and the fifth sounds settled.
- Next
- Move to C and its fifth.
Descending Interval Recall
- Goal
- Remember a falling interval and reproduce it.
- Level
- Beginner
Steps
- Hear G4 then E4.
- Wait five seconds.
- Sing or play the two notes back.
- How to check it
- Compare your version with the original falling minor third.
- Next
- Try G4–E♭4 to hear the larger major third.
Arpeggio Accuracy
- Goal
- Sing or play a clean major arpeggio.
- Level
- Beginner
Steps
- Set quarter note = 60.
- Perform C4–E4–G4–C5–G4–E4–C4.
- How to check it
- The top C is not overshot and the descent does not sag.
- Next
- Repeat in C minor (C–E♭–G).
Intonation After a Leap
- Goal
- Arrive in tune on the first instant of a leap.
- Level
- Intermediate
Steps
- Sustain C4 for two beats.
- Leap up a major sixth to A4 for two beats.
- Return to C4.
- How to check it
- Check the very start of A4, not only where it settles.
- Next
- Try leaps of a minor sixth and an octave.
Other chapters: Pulse and Rhythm · Ear Training and Listening · Technique and Coordination · Phrasing and Expression · Sight-Reading · Harmony and Improvisation · Ensemble and Accompaniment · Composition and Creativity · Performance and Feedback
Sing in a comfortable octave, rest between repetitions, and stop if anything hurts.
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