Listening Intelligence, but also Singing Intelligence

"Classical" (baroque-classic-romantic) music develops the listening
ear of children, but folk music, early music and other world music
develops the singing ear more perhaps initially. I have written
hundreds of songs with a built-in teaching method, which I believe if
heard from birth, will increase aptitude for singing in tune. I am
trying to get these on the market.

I am a composer of both modern classical and popular music, mostly for
the church. I have several recordings out which have gotten some
airplay. I have desktop published sacred art songs and choral music.
Some of my Scripture Songs were performed in China and New York
City.

I grew discouraged in church work and in trying to write music for and
conduct amatuer choirs that have trouble reading music and/or singing
in tune. I began wondering if our culture has gradually and perhaps
recently become rather pitch dull for singing, even among people with
rather good amatuer skill in reading choral music and having good
taste in music, etc... I was thinking about some of the things Edwin
Gordon said about musical aptitude in children. After observing some
Kodaly Classes for some substitute teaching, I got to thinking about
lullabies, nonsense syllables, early music, and pitch structures
germinal to the singing ear especially revolving around minor thirds.
I began writing these little minor third-based songs.

Having studied Shenkerian analysis, which lauds the superiority of
baroque-classic-romantic music, I realized that the minor third is a
different fundamental structure than that used as the basis of western
classical music.

The minor third is more modal, ancient, and 'singerly', tribal, and is needed as an organizing principle for music education, not that there
is anything wrong with classical music, but it is after all, concert
music, not so much participatory music for amatuers. Good amatuer
musicians are essential to the infrastructure that creates a space for
good concert music. The lack of this infrastructure is one reason why classical composition has had a hard time making a 'comeback'.

Musical intelligence benefits other forms of intelligence

Musical intelligence is developed in early childhood.
.....Informal musical "instruction" or influence or modeling by the parent
.........the parent who plays classical music recordings
.........the parent who sings simple lullabies to their baby
.........the parent who sings even simpler music to their toddler
.........the parent who gives bits of instruction in "mental hearing"
.....More formal musical instruction before age nine.
.........singing by rote moving toward reading music
.........instrumental instruction
.........piano and violin instruction especially benefit from an early start

Musical intelligence is mental hearing.
.....Memory of pitch and rhythm
.........pitch is intuitive math (vibration rates mathmatically related)
.........rhythm is concrete math (durations of time mathmatically related)
.....Anticipation of the next note or rhythmic event
.....Recognition of reoccurring or varied patterns of notes and rhythms

Mental hearing is developed with 'simple' melodies.
.....Classical music too complex for certain forms of development
.........classical- larger pattern recognition; "the listening ear"
.........folk music- smaller pattern recognition
.........simple chants- specific pitch recognition; "the singing ear"
.....Certain cute and endearing songs still too complex
........."The Itsy Bitsy Spider" is entertaining, but too complex
........."Rock a Bye Baby" too complex
........."Hot Cross Buns" is good,
............but the 3-2-1 structure
............is the harder part of the pentationic scale
........."Ring Around the Rosie" is more intuitively easier to tune
........."Jesus Loves Me This I Know" starts with the intuitively easy
............and then moves to the 3-2-1 structure
.....By 'simple', we mean 'minor third emphasizing',
.........and 'few pitches containing';
.........not just short melodies per se.

Mental hearing continues with singing
.....Singing is encouraged by parental modeling
.....Some born aptitude for music may be lost in a non-singing culture
.....A singing culture-
.........a good example is the Rennaisance period
.........another good example is appalachian note-reading- "Southern Harmony"

Our present culture is pitch dull
.....Pitch is right brain
.....Rhythm is left brain
....."Rap" is cool, but very left brain,
.........words and rhythm are left brain
.....Right brain is "intuitive" and fuzzy
.....Left brain is "rational" and practical; seems more "macho"
.....Early right brain development "prefeeds" later complex left brain processes

Musical intelligence builds general intelligence
.....coordinates both sides of the brain
.....a possible Rennaisance or "rebirth" of our culture

personal Thoughts about a Person

"A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish."

I am a bruised reed. Help me, gentle Savior.

"He will faithfully bring forth justice; He will not be disheartened or crushed, until He has established justice on the earth, and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law."

The majesty of this One is my hope. Seek me, for I have strayed like a lost sheep. Again let me hear Your voice calling me to follow You. Who is like You, Who "set His face like flint" to accomplish our redemption?

Where am I to find the strength except in You?

OK, Scott, What do you REALLY want?

I want a two things:


I want everyone in the next generation to be able to sing in tune


and to be able to read vocal music at sight.



I am preparing to produce a whole series of music education recordings and sheet music to be used from birth through grade school. This series makes it easy for non-musicians to learn how to radically effect the musical intelligence and developmental aptitude of the next generation prior to age nine especially. It is all related to this profoundly simple phrase:

http://www.angelfire.com/mac/mcclain/track1Teach.html

The material for older children and adults is more interesting, of course, but everything in the 'system' is related to this. Taken as a whole, the complete series powerfully instills in the mind how pitches interrelate.

brain plasticity

I am trying to digest this. I think Altenmüller is saying what I am saying in a very technical way.

http://www.isme.org/en/advocacy-articles/1-music-education-as-a-powerful-stimulus-for-brain-plast.html

more grants to check out later

http://www.keap.org.uk/funding_info.html


http://www.mockingbirdfoundation.org/funding/?gclid=CLj2ieGNuZMCFQfNIgodAGYjDQ


http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/1203swv-grants1201.html

I need a grant to print up my first grade book, "Stand, Middle, Sit". My more ambitious ideas of a complete program starting from birth are not feasable at all until "Stand, Middle, Sit" is given a test run.


http://www.angelfire.com/mac/mcclain/start-up.html

The Braitmayer Foundation

http://www.braitmayerfoundation.org/guid.htm

The Braitmayer Foundation only funds projects done by organizations. Their goals are mine. But I need a grant to get a grant to get a grant.

O, my thoughts and frustrations- how to express them?

How do you propose to "help" innovation if everything must be an established organization?

For a First Grade teacher interested in teaching EASY sight-singing

I will send samples from the first grade music book, "Stand Middle Sit" for you to review, and get an idea how easy and fun my program would be to work with.


To work with my first grade material, you need:

1. A chalkboard or marking board with GIANT music staves to write on, and/or a way to project the material on a LARGE screen;

2. A pianist or someone to play and stop the accompaniment CD;

3. an assistant free to go around pointing under the notes in half-note pulse;

4. Manhasset (sturdy) music stands (which kind sits low enough?) and two children's seats placed in front of each stand;

5. one class-book for every two children seated in front of a stand;

6. funding to record and print the take-home book and CD, "Level Songs";


"Stand (5)

............Middle (3)

..............................Sit!" (1)

You can email me at scottmccln@yahoo.com

Teaching Your Child Music from birth through preschool

http://www.helium.com/items/235853-teach-toddler-willing-learn

Yes, teach gently, here and there, as only you, the parent, can.

http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/music_development.html

Yes, play Classical music now and then, including early music, Renaissance madrigals and such, for infants especially. Simple songs, such as folk songs and nursery rhymes, are good for toddlers now and then, and from birth occassionally play this recording:

http://www.angelfire.com/mac/mcclain/toddler.html

Follow the recording. Learn to do the two hand signs. YOU can learn how to teach your child to read music, very gradually, very gently, even while the child is learning from just hearing the recording.