Aural D1

Course Summary

Week 1 • Introduction to AIM

• Introduction to Subject
• Assessment
• Intro to Tonality
• Major and minor
• Musical egs in major and minor
• Tones and Semitones
• The Major scale
• The natural minor scale
o For scales, use these nomenclatures:

Letter names

Tonic solfa

Scale degree numbers

Scale degree names, eg: tonic, supertonic, etc
• Exercises in recognising Major and natural minor scales aurally
Week 2 • Revise
o T & ST
o Major scale + solfa
o Natural minor scale + solfa
• Exercises in recognising Major and natural minor scales aurally
• Introduce intervals
o Eg: T & ST
o Different types of intervals M m P A d
o We will look in detail at P M
o Perfect intervals – ascending

Solfa

Songs

Sing the intervals
• Exercises in recognising Perfect ascending intervals aurally
• Introduce rhythm:
o Note tree w to x incl rests
o Introduce French time names
o Clap q, h, w
o Write them down

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AIM Aural D1 Course Summary

Week 3 • Exercises in recognising Major and natural minor scales aurally

• Revise Perfect intervals
• Exercises in recognising Perfect ascending intervals aurally
• Exercises in pitching Perfect intervals ascending and descending
• Introduce Major intervals
o Relate to Major Scale
o Solfa
o Songs
o Sing intervals
• Exercises in recognising Major ascending intervals aurally
• Exercises in recognising P↑↓, M↑ intervals
• Revise rhythm:
o Note and rest types: w to x

o Clap & say French time names q, h, w

• Introduce time signatures

o Write bars of 4/4 rhythm using q, h, w
o Clap them & say time names
o Write from dictation – 2 bars, 3 playings
Week 4 • Exercises in recognising Major and natural minor scales aurally
• Exercises in recognising P↑↓, M↑ intervals
• Introduce M↓ intervals
• Exercises in recognising P↑↓, M↑↓ intervals
• Intervals drill – singing
• Sing all intervals of major scale
• Introduce triads
o 3 note chords
o Tonic triad formula: 1, 3, 5
o Major and minor tonic triads
o Sing to solfa: dms, ldm
• Exercises involving recognising Major & minor triads
• Exercises involving rhythm:
o Clap rhythms & say time names:

< 4 bars

4/4

q, h, w
o Dictate rhythms:

2 bars

4/4

q, h, w

3 playings (give time signature, number of bars, and 1 bar count-in)
• Introduce dotted notes

o Use h. In clapping rhythms (as above)

o Use h. In rhythm dictations (as above)

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AIM Aural D1 Course Summary

Week 5 • Exercises in recognising Major and natural minor scales aurally *

• Exercises in recognising Major and minor triads aurally *
• Exercises in recognising P&M↑↓intervals *
• Clap rhythms & say time names:
o < 4 bars
o 4/4
o q, h, h., w

• Dictate rhythms: *
o 2 bars
o 4/4
o q, h, h., w
o 3 playings (give time signature, number of bars, and 1 bar count-in)
• Sing all intervals of major scale
Drill all * above for Mid-Tri exam next week
Week 6 Mid-Trimester Notation Exam (30%)
• Content:
• Aurally recognise:
o Major and natural minor scales
o Major and minor triads
o recognising P&M↑↓intervals
• Rhythmic Dictation:
o 2 bars
o 4/4
o q, h, h., w
o 3 playings (given time signature, number of bars, and 1 bar count-in)
Week 7 Revise singing intervals
Singing melodies (major scale):
• Clap Rhythms (French time names)
• Sing pitches (solfa)
• Pitch & rhythm slowly
• Build up speed
Rhythmic dictations
o Now up to 4 bars
o 4/4
o q, h, h., w
o 5 playings
Introduce Cadences
• Perfect Authentic (V-I)
• Plagal (IV-I)
o Ascending and descending bass lines
o Play: tonic chord then 2 cadence chords
• Exercises recognising PAC and Plagal cadences
Drill aurally recognising:
• Major and natural minor scales
• Major and minor triads
• recognising P&M↑↓intervals

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AIM Aural D1 Course Summary

Week 8 • Sight-sing melodies in major scale

• Introduce sight-singing melodies in natural minor scales (incl Solfa)
• Revise cadences
• Exercises recognising PAC and Plagal cadences
• Drill:
o aurally recognising Major and natural minor scales
o aurally recognising Major and minor triads
o aurally recognising recognising P&M↑↓intervals
o aurally recognising PAC and Plagal cadences
o Rhythmic dictations (4 bars, 4/4, q, h, h., w, no rests, 5 playings)

• Drill:
o Singing intervals of a major scale

o Clapping and saying time names for rhythms (4 bars, 4/4, q, h, h., w, no rests)

Week 9 • Drill:
o aurally recognising Major and natural minor scales
o aurally recognising Major and minor triads
o aurally recognising recognising P&M↑↓intervals
o aurally recognising PAC and Plagal cadences
o Rhythmic dictations (4 bars, 4/4, q, h, h., w, no rests, 5 playings)

• Drill:
o Singing intervals of a major scale

o Clapping and saying time names for rhythms (4 bars, 4/4, q, h, h., w, no rests)

• Sing melodies in major and natural minor

Week 10 Mock exams:
1) Mock Notation Exam
Content:
• aurally recognising Major and natural minor scales
• aurally recognising Major and minor triads
• aurally recognising recognising P&M↑↓intervals
• aurally recognising PAC and Plagal cadences
• Rhythmic dictations (4 bars, 4/4, q, h, h., w, no rests, 5 playings) (given time signature, number of
bars, and 1 bar count-in)
2) Mock Viva Voce Exam
Content:
• Singing intervals of a major scale

• Clapping and saying time names for rhythms (4 bars, 4/4, q, h, h., w, no rests)

Mark and give feedback there and then to aid revision

Week 11 Viva Voce Exam (20%)
Content:
• Singing intervals of a major scale

• Clapping and saying time names for rhythms (4 bars, 4/4, q, h, h., w, no rests)

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AIM Aural D1 Course Summary

Week 12 Final Notation Exam (50%)

Content:
• aurally recognising Major and natural minor scales
• aurally recognising Major and minor triads
• aurally recognising P&M↑↓intervals
• aurally recognising PAC and Plagal cadences
• Rhythmic dictations (4 bars, 4/4, q, h, h., w, no rests, 5 playings, up to 13 notes) (given time
signature, number of bars, and 1 bar count-in)

Authored by Dr Brett McKern, Academic Studies, May 2012