Hi - firstly I apologize if this post sounds as if I don't know what I'm talking about - it's because I don't

I am studying for Grade 5 piano and I am having real problems with the sight singing part. My grandmother said that at school they learnt to sing using hand signals for different notes on the scale and that this really helped her learn to sing. In fact she can still sing the notes if someone does the signals!

I was trying to find out more about this and wanted to ask:
1 - do you know what I'm on about?
2 - Is this part of the Kodaly method?
3 - is it something that would help me and could I teach myself?

I am not a natural singer! I started lessons a little while back but unfortunately had to stop and I don't think I will be able to start again in the near future - would love to though!

Thanks.

Your granny is right! I would PM Cyrilla, so may know about classes you could attend in your area. You could also look at the British Kodaly Society website.

Hi !

Yes, Kodaly uses hand signs to indicate a note's function within the scale - and it's extremely effective. Cyrilla would be able to give you more info, she's our resident expert, but I'm taking lessons with her and things I though I understood about music before, I know realise that I only knew - someone had told me them, I had learnt them and knew them to be true - NOW, however, I'm starting to really FEEL them and understand them. It's like I had learnt a lot of theory and knew it to be true, but they were formulas and words, unrelated to things I felt - it was like listening in black and white - now I feel that I'm putting words on things I feel first - a much better way to do it, feel it, understand it and THEN name it. It's now like I'm starting to hear in colour.

I don't think you can teach yourself Kodaly, though, certainly you could learn the handsigns and what degrees of the scale they relate to, but a good Kodaly teacher will be able to help you feel it first and then name it - then when you see a handsign, your voice will feel the right note and pull it out by texture. If you try to go it alone, I fear you may just end up turning the handsigns into just another musical notation system, where a symbol equals a sound - just like a score - and this is a system that is causing you problems.

A teacher is necessary to really FEEL the connection - that's probably why your gran can still do it years later !

I can't really add any more than Allan has said!

I think he's given a beautiful description of how Kodály training can really help you to really feel and get into the very heart of the music.

The handsigns, as your granny has demonstrated, really do work - the sign recalls the sound, and connects the aural, visual and kinaesthetic.

I'm sure there is a Kodály organisation in Italy - the International Kodály Society should be able to help here if you can't find any information.

And Allan's right - you can't really self-teach...so I hope you can find a teacher. Allan has only had three online lessons (we swear at the skype connection regularly, but it's better than nothing!) and I'm delighted that already he's feeling the benefits.

I currently teach a pop musician who is sooooo delighted with his progress (so am I!) - what he has learned in the last two years has been incredible.

It doesn't matter what your previous experience has been, or how old you are - everyone can learn through this brilliant way to improve musical skills and understanding. I couldn't have sight-sung to save my life before I learned solfa - now there's not much that stumps me - and I have very average 'natural' musical ability.

Sorry - advert over!

Btw, Kodály didn't invent the handsigns or solfa...but they are major tools of learning used in the approach.

I think the other thing to gear in mind that it is not necessarily as 'quick fix' thing.
As with learning to play your instrument it may take some time for you to be proficient enough for it to help your sight singing.

Sbhoa's right (a Very Sensible Post, as befits the owner of the title!!!).

Learning something thoroughly and deeply is never a 'quick fix'...

Thanks for all the replies - really helpful. I won't try teaching myself then although lessons may have to wait a while - am a bit time and cash poor at the moment!

There's nothing to stop you doing a bit of 'teaching yourself', Tortellini - as with anything, it's just going to be better and more effective if you have a skilled teacher to guide you - but certainly you could start to learn the handsigns and the solfa name that each connects to.

Do PM me if you'd like some 'self-teaching' ideas.