Pitch ExplorationCan Your Voice Do This?

The Purpose of Pitch Exploration Activities:

• Fun, engaging, active, and relevant• Engage vocal muscles used to sing in head voice• Just as an athlete warms up certain muscle groups before

exercising, singers should warm up their vocal muscles in order to be able to sing with flexibility, especially in the higher range.

Things to Remember…

• Encourage students to be silly and have fun!• Choose activities that focus on using the head voice.• Begin with descending patterns and then add ascending

patterns.• Once the group is comfortable with an activity, invite solo

responses. • The most learning takes place when a child participates

individually.

Ideas• Sirens• Buzzing• Yee-haw• Whoopie• Door bell• Roller coaster

Don’t forget to use your hands!

•Dribble, shoot•Fishing•Vowel sounds•Nonsense syllables•Solfa patterns•Ask the students for ideas!

Once There Was A Little Kitty

Have students echo each line in a small kitty voice.

Once there was a little kitty,Who climbed up a building.

Up and up and up to the very top!Then the wind started to blow,

And the little kitty fell off.She was hanging by her claws!

The wind was blowing and blowing.Harder and harder!

Then the little kitty fell off.Eeeeeeeeee (tongue noise)

But she was ok,Because kitties always land on their feet!

Pass the Owl

• Hold an owl in the air in front of the class.• As you lower the owl, led the students in making a

falling vocal glissando on “Whoooo.”• Once the group is comfortable, invite solo responses.• Strive for a beautiful sustained sound.• This activity can also be done with a ghost around

Halloween time.

Fireworks

• Students begin in a crouched position.• Students count up to five while slowly standing up and

showing the number with their fingers.• Counting should begin quietly and in a low voice, gradually

getting higher and louder.• On “five” students sustain the number on a descending pitch

and wiggle their fingers downward like a firework exploding.• Crouch down and begin again.

Today was a day I did everything right,Though my brother annoyed me, I still didn’t fight.I played nicely all day, didn’t argue or scream,Now my mom says we’ll go for a dish of ice cream.

Ice Cream Sundae

I ate all of my breakfast, and all of my lunch,I picked up my toys, and I have a bunch,And since I’ve been helpful like part of a team,I think I might ask for two scoops of ice cream!

Two scoops! What a treat! But I think you’ll agree,It’s hard to imagine one better than me.I’ve done everything right, or so it would seem,Maybe Mom will allow me four scoops of ice cream!

Yes! Today has been special. It’s not every day, I do everything right, in such a nice way.So why not, of course, since I’m building up steam,Have some syrup on top of four scoops of ice cream!

You’ve been perfect, my dear!” That’s what Mom said today,So I know she won’t mind if I have it my way.To the syrup, add nuts and also whipped cream,And a cherry on top of four scoops of ice cream!

And yet, when I think about wanting more,Though it sounds awfully good, I know what’s in storeI’ll eat and I’ll eat, and I’ll run out of steam,And I won’t feel so good after all that ice cream.

Since today was a day I did everything right,I will not spoil my record by making a sight.I’ll ask most politely, though it was fun to dream,“May I have one scoop of vanilla ice cream?”

Hinx, Minxfrom Jill Trinka

Hinx, MinxThe old witch (lady) winks

The fat begins to fry… sssss!There’s no one home, but jumping Joan,

Mother, father, and I….. Boo!

Chop, Chop, Chippity Chop

Chop, chop, chippity chopCut off the bottom and cut off the topWhat there is left, we’ll put in the pot

Chop, chop, chippity chop

Robot voiceSqueaky voice

Low voiceDracula voiceWhisper voice

Southern accentBritish accent

Student suggestions!

SourcesThe Book of Pitch ExplorationCompiled by John M. Feierabend

First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond: The Curriculum

By John M. Feierabend