Zoom has taken over in all kinds of applications from meetings to classes to rehearsals, but for musical applications, the delay component and sound quality can hinder some of the aspects of singing as a group. So how do we hold profitable rehearsals that are worth the time and effort?
I think the key is looking at all of the building blocks which lead up to the act of singing together and then forming a working plan of cultivating those skills in a broken-down format. For example, singing a scale together in unison might be difficult because of a lag, so assign each student a numbered note in the scale to sing. Each student will be practicing attentiveness, listening, and pitch production. For more advanced students, you can even assign different variations on the scales such as interval jumps in an ascending or descending pattern, and the students will need to correctly construct the pattern using their assigned pitch. And a few laughs at the absurdity of the whole ordeal might even loosen everyone up!
Another trick to singing together over Zoom is to have all participants except the director mute themselves. This allows students to sing along with the director without experiencing the loop of a lag on the feedback. One drawback of using this method is that the director will not be able to hear the voices of his or her students, but this will still provide an avenue to keep songs fresh or even introduce a new song as students follow along with a piece of sheet music.
One final thought as we all figure out this approach to music education is to pull out all of those rusty music games from the archives. Games can keep students interested and still provide many ways to practice musical skills in less-than-ideal conditions. One game my students have always enjoyed is called Salami (sol la mi). I think this game would be perfect in a remote rehearsal setting! The instructor sings the pitches sol-la-mi and has the students sing back to orient themselves to the pitches. Using Curwen hand signs for the pitches is also a great way to engage the students in a multi sensory way. Then the instructor begins to sing and sign other three-note series such as do-re-mi or la-ti-la and has the students repeat. Every once in a while, the instructor should slip sol-la-mi into the patterns. Students then should remain silent and not sing sol-la-mi. If they sing it, they are “out.” The instructor can ramp up the speed in which he or she delivers the series, and the faster the pitches come, the harder it is to stay silent when “salami” rolls around. You can continue until only one student remains. It can become like virtual musical chairs! My students have always enjoyed this game, and I have even used step bells or a keyboard from time to time just to change things up.
I hope this post might bring a fresh perspective as you adapt to the “new normal” of distance directing. Please share your rehearsal ideas with me. I’m sure there is a wealth of inspiration to be had if we all pool our experiences and resources. During this unique time, we can learn so much from each other and come out on the other side of this better and more equipped directors!
Come Sing Together 