Melinda Imthurn wrote:
>I have the
>closest thing I've had yet to a "tone deaf" student
>and am I not quite sure how to handle him! When he
>"sings", it comes out as speech on a couple of low
>pitches that doesn't seem to follow any pattern,
>except that it is rhythmically correct. Occasionally
>he will surprise me and sing a few notes or a phrase
>correctly, but I have not found any pattern as to when
>this happens.
First, rest assured that your student is not tone-deaf. Can he
recognize "Happy Birthday" if you sing the first few notes without
the words (la la la la)? I'd be shocked if he couldn't, but I suspect
that your student is unable to distinguish between when he sings in
tune and when he sings out of tune. I would suggest having your
student match pitches (that you sing) one at a time. If he is unable
to do that (quite likely), then ask him to sing a single pitch and
you match it. Ask him to pay attention to how it sounds and feels to
be in tune. To clarify this, sometimes do not match immediately but
instead miss by a little bit and then slowly adjust to his pitch. Ask
him to notice how it sounds and feels as you do that. Once he is able
to tell you whether you have matched him, then go back to having him
match you.
Please let us know how it goes.
Good luck,
John Link
http://www.mp3.com/JohnLinkFeldenkrais
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