> Interesting how many times that old P4th crops up!, and yes it does sound
> different depending on the degree of the scale it starts on. Is this
> because we are unconsciosly relating the sound against the tonal center of
> the tonic?.
> Notice also how different the 'quality' of an interval can sound when it
> is reversed.
>
> I suppose anything that increases our ability recognize and use melodic
> intervals cannot be a bad thing. I see from the replys that many of us use
> melody fragments as mnemonic device for remembering the sound quality of a
> specific interval. Here are a few I use:
>
> 1 b2 You must remember this, a kiss is ....
> 1 3 5 Kum By Ya .... (first three notes)
> 1 5 The first two notes of the Star Wars theme tune
> 1 6 Mamas little baby loves shortening .... (first two notes)
> 1 8 7 Some where over the rainbow .... (for the 1 to major 7)
>
> A few more for the chromatic notes would be useful (esp. 1 to b7)
How about another West Side Story tune: "There's a Place for Us" eh?
or maybe the last phrase of "Away in a Manger" ("...and stay by thy
cradle...")
here's more...
1 3 5 8 is "In the Mood" or "Air Mail Special"
1 b6 is "The Entertainer"
1 6 4 (also a major triad in 2nd inv.) is the NBC sounder
1 6 is "Confirmation"
8 6 (desc. m3) is used by children when they tease one another on the
playground ("nya nya-nya nya nya...") It sounds silly to recognize an
interval this way, but in elementary school music classes, this is the
first interval taught for this very reason.
1 3 5 7 9 (major 9th chord) is "I Loves You Porgy"
1 3 5 b7 9 (dom 9th chord) is "Pretty Woman"
there are a million others.
I have heard, though, that although these can be helpful to begin hearing
intervals, this technique can grow cumbersome if used as a crutch. A lot of
my classical musician friends are strict advocates of the Kodaly solfege
method, but I think it gets rough when you try to solfege Parker heads
and even some simpler things in jazz. Does anyone have advice on a
similar pedagogical system that would work for jazz?
Also, I have recently obtained an ear training course (it's six audio
tapes and a 60 page book) by David L. Burge. It's called "color hearing
for expanded musical awareness." He claims that the mysterious talent of
"perfect pitch" can actually be acquired. I was skeptical, but I know
some people who have done it. I know people who have learned exact
PITCHES (not just intervals) using this method of association. People
who play in orchestras get so used to hearing A 440 that they can recall
it, as well as people who are so INTIMATELY familiar with recordings that
they have other reference pitches in their heads. I have tried doing
this, and I was surprised to find this ability (in a very LIMITED form)
in my own possession.
Has anyone heard about Mr. Burge's tapes or similar programs?
> By the way does anybody on the list have the ability to look at a score
> and hum the melody line (with certainty)?
Depends on how complex the melody is.