All classically trained musicians learn to read music, but a singer must be able to convert musical notes into notes without an assistive device. While this difficult skill takes a lot of practice, you don't need to master it until you reach perfect pitch. Make sure you master the basics of sight singing first and keep practicing every day so that in the end, you can sing anything without any preparation.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Learn and Practice
Step 1. Learn the solfege system
Solfege is a pedagogical solmization technique for teaching sight singing in which each note in the scale is sung with a special syllable, namely the solfège syllable (or "sol-fa syllable). Mi Fa So La Si Do (if you haven't already, listen to this example to learn the intervals between notes.) "Do" is always the "tonic" or "root note" on a scale, for example C in the C major scale or G in the G scale major. By singing the solfege scale from here, you'll reach every note on the scale.
- Some singers also reinforce various syllables by changing the shape of the hand. Please do so, if you wish.
- A small number of singers prefer other systems, such as "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1."
Step 2. Use solfege for minor scales
We're explaining the minor scales here so you can refer to the solfege system above, but you can also wait until you're quite familiar with the solfege system before trying it. In minor scales (which have several forms), some of the intervals between notes are reduced from full steps (eg from C to D) to only half steps (C to C♯). In solfege, these half-step notes are characterized by a change in the vowel sound within the solfege syllable. Here are some examples (derived tones in bold):
- Natural minor scale: do re me fa sol le se do
- Harmonic minor scale: do re me fa sol le the do
- Melodic minor scale, from low to high: do re me fa sol la si do
- Melodic minor scale, from high to low: do se le sol fa me re do
- The chromatic scale, which usually goes up only half a step, includes some syllables that are rarely used in the song. It's best not to learn this section until you've become proficient in applying sight singing.
- Know that these scales help you sight singing on scores that go up or down half a step from the sung scale. These scales are indicated by the hashtag symbol (half step up) or the mole symbol (half step down).
Step 3. Practice solfege with your favorite song
Learning solfege is quite difficult, especially without the help of a vocal teacher. Practice as often as you can by singing your favorite song and trying to find the "tonic note" in the song, which is usually sung as a Do, then sing the whole song using solfege. There are several ways to find a tonic tone:
- When a note in a song feels like "coming home" or reaching a conclusion, it's probably a tonic note. Songs often end on this note.
- Try playing notes on the piano while listening to a song. Turn off the music and try singing "Do Re Mi…" while using only the piano keys of the song. Keep trying to find the "Do" tone until you succeed.
- If you hear a sudden change in the mood of the melody's emotion, the key may change. Focus on one part at a time, as changing the "Do" in the middle of a song may be too difficult for beginners.
Step 4. Learn how to read music
You can start with the first note, and count the number of spaces and lines (up and down) on the scale until you reach the next note. However, it will be much more efficient if you learn to read music so that sight singing can be done more quickly and smoothly. First of all, try memorizing the mnemonics below, and practice daily with the help of tone recognition tools on the internet.
- In treble clef?, the mnemonic for memorizing notes in lines from bottom to top is Eadmit Gsister Bflower Dexpert Fteach. For tone in the spaces between the lines, memorize the spelling FACE.
- In bass chord ?, the mnemonic for memorizing notes in lines from bottom to top is Guru Bahasa Dmark Fadli Absen. Mnemonics for notes in the spaces between lines: Amy Cinta Eadmit Gsister.
Step 5. Practice counting from C
This tone is usually used by singers as a base note. Play a C on the piano, or use a metronome that makes a C note. Practice singing up or down the scales to reach different notes. This process will be used to find the starting note of the song.
If you want to practice perfect pitch, try finding your favorite song that starts with C, and uses it as the base note. Remember, singers sometimes start the song in a different key each time. So, test the notes on the piano to make sure you're starting on the right note
Step 6. Practice skipping intervals
To be able to master sight singing, the singer must be able to jump from note to note flawlessly, even if the two notes are very far apart on the scale. Incorporate the following solfege exercises into your daily workout routine:
- (low)Do Re Do Mi Do Fa Do So Do La Do Si Do (high)Do
- Sing a song that you memorize well using solfege. Slow down and repeat as necessary until you can sing the entire song using the correct syllables. You can sing the solfege scale several times in the appropriate key before starting to make the practice easier.
Step 7. Practice the rhythm
To practice it, you can share rhythms while listening to songs or reading scores. Clap your hands to the beat of the song, but divide each beat into subsections while saying "1–2" or "1-2-3-4" aloud between claps.
Step 8. Practice sight singing
Sight singing is a difficult skill and takes a lot of practice until you can sing all the sheet music that opens up to you. Look for new scores on the internet or in your library, try singing them, then test for accuracy by listening to the music online. Try to apply this exercise every day.
- Start the song with solfege, then continue with the lyrics if any.
- Make sure the music you sing is appropriate for your vocal range.
Part 2 of 2: Sight-Singing on Music Sheets
Step 1. Recognize the key of the song
At the beginning of the score, right next to the key signature, the “key signature” is a sharp and a flat. This trick will help you memorize each key signature:
- If there are no sharps or moles next to the chord, it means the scale is C major so here again, the C note is Do.
- On the solfege scale, the sharp mark on the far right of the key signature is Si. Go up a step and a half and you're at the root note which is the name of the scale, and is where the Do note is located. You can also use mnemonics to find out how many strokes you have so you can identify scales (starting with one beat): Gwow Dan Awant Efuck Belanja Fried Chicken.
- The mole to the far right of the key signature is Fa, and the mole to the left is the root Do. Identify the scale using the number of moles available (starting with one mole): Fthe deed Btomorrow Eadmit Aright Datang Gfail Cinta
Step 2. Listen to the root notes
You need to listen to the root note, unless it has perfect pitch. This tone is always the name of the key signature. Therefore, when a song is written for the A note, you need to listen to the A note. Use a piano, a metronome, which can produce A notes, a tuning fork, or the software on your phone or computer.
Step 3. Sing the solfege scale
Use the root note as the Do note, and sing the solfege scale up and down once or twice to help get a feel for the notes you're about to sing. Remember, you must use the minor solfege syllable for the minor scale.
Step 4. Check the rhythm and tempo
The vertical lines in the score can help you identify the rhythm of the music. Tap your feet or hands to help you identify the rhythm. Maybe the score also includes a tempo sign that tells you how fast you need to sing, such as "90" which means 90 beats per minute. You can slow down if you need to, except when accompanied by other musicians.
Sometimes the tempo description is mentioned in Italian, for example andante for "walking speed" which is usually around 90 beats per minute. Two other tempos that are commonly mentioned are allegro which means fast and adagio to slow.
Step 5. Fluent difficult sentences
If you're singing alone, especially during practice, slow down a bit if you're having trouble pronouncing the lyrics. If you're singing with other musicians, lower your voice a little when you're having a hard time, but still sing clearly and confidently. As your sight singing practice progresses and you can get a better feel for songs, your singing will often be more precise, even if you are guessing.
Tips
- You can use a popular song to help remember intervals. For example, the fourth interval is used at the beginning of the song "Here Comes the Bridge" (Here → Comes) which is usually used as the bride and groom walk down the aisle in a wedding.
- If you're having trouble reading sheet music, look for information on the "tone of form" system commonly used for church congregations.
- Some singers practice perfect pitch, or the ability to recognize an isolated note. This skill is not required for sight singing, but if you are interested, try singing the original note name in the song, or using the "fixed Do" system, where the Do note always represents the C note.
- Some people prefer to use something called "la-based minor" because singing from La to La is the same as a natural minor scale.
