Posted by Christine on October 14, 2007 at 09:36:40:
In Reply to: pitch vs. notes -- correct vocabulary? posted by EMB on October 13, 2007 at 18:23:15:
I would think that "note" could refer to both/either the melodic and/or rhythmic properties. If you point to a "note" in a song, it has both pitch and rhythm. So use the terms "pitch" and "rhythm" to distinguish those separate properties. If I want students to tell me whether it's do or re, I ask them to tell me the pitch name. If I want to know if it's a quarter note or an 8th note (or the rhythm syllable -ta, ti-ti, etc.), I ask them for the rhythm name.
When I introduce both rhythm (quarter note, eighth notes, quarter rest) and melody (so-mi) in 1st grade, I use those two vocab words. I distinguish rhythm from melody by telling students that the rhythm is how fast or slow the music goes (or, if the music has words, it's the way the words go, using a speaking voice), and melody describes how the music moves up and down. I tell them that melodies can be made up of many high or low sounds, which we call "pitches" - and that we're starting by learning the names of 2 pitches, so and mi. I introduce these properties separately, however... we spend probably half the year just working on rhythm, then add pitch into it later in the school year when they are secure with the rhythms we've learned. Some of my students frequently confuse pitch and rhythm syllables (if I ask them what are the rhythms we know, I'll occasionally get a kid who says "so"... so, I have to review again the difference between pitch and rhythm).
When we learn absolute pitch when we start recorders in 4th grade, I call the absolute pitch names the "letter names" and our solfege names either "solfege" or "hand sign" names. I tell the students that we use letter names when we play an instrument, and that the letter names are always on the same line or space of the staff because when you play a certain note or fingering on an instrument it always corresponds with that exact pitch or sound. Whereas, since our voices are much more flexible and we can sing a song starting on many different pitches, we have the option of using solfege or hand sign names for the pitches, because we can sing a song beginning way up high or way down low... but the relationships or distance between the pitches in the melody (so to mi, do to re, etc.) is always the same distance.
So to answer your question - since each "note" has two separate properties, pitch and rhythm, I would refer to the terms pitch and rhythm. Of course the word "note" is in the terms for the rhythms (quarter note, 8th note, half note, etc.) it can be confusing. So make sure that the kids understand the 2 vocab words of pitch and rhythm and what properties they refer to.
: Having completed approximately 6 weeks in my first job teaching 1-8 General Music, I figured it was about time for me to figure out the proper vocabulary to use with my students. This is definitely one of those questions that seems like it should be a no-brainer, but for some reason it's not for me.
: When should I use the word "pitch", when should I use the word "notes"?
: My students are generally getting the idea that when I talk about pitch I'm talking about high and low sounds.
: What does the word "note" refer to? Should that be used for rhythmic note values? With my 7th & 8th graders I just completed a theory review unit. There was definitely confusion among some of the students as to what I was talking about because I was connecting pitches to solfege syllables and letter names. At first I was asking students to "name the notes" but that didn't seem to be sufficient instruction so I started being more specific by telling them to give me the "letter names".
: Should I be using the term "absolute pitch" with students to talk about the letter names and "pitch" or "solfege pitch" for solfege syllables? Would that leave "note" to refer to different note values like quarter note or eighth note?
: Thanks for your help!