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Question: Teaching someone tone deaf!?
I'm a college graduate and I have my first student ( high schooler) that can not match a pitch!. He is not hopeless!. I gave him homework to learn and memorize solfege I know I have to take it very easy and slow with him but I don't know what to give him as far a music goes!. Should I start with a very easy folk song!? I don't want to give him strictly scales and solfege I want to give him something ( songwise ) that will help to develp his voice!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
As a choir director I've had plenty of tone deaf students!. The trick is getting them to hear that they are off and work with them to fix it!. I have found most tone deaf students don't even realize they are tone deaf!. The first step is making them aware!. First test them as to whether or not they can even tell if there are pitch changes!. I do this by playing a series of 2 notes on the piano and I have them tell me whether or not the second one is higher, lower or the same as the first!. I also built a tone telephone!. It is made out of PVC (2 corners and 1straight piece) this helps some students to hear themselves, you can also have them cup their hand behind their ear!. If possible just work on simple steps and intervals for a while (no pressure on a song)!. When someone is tone deaf it is actually easier to sing simple intervals rather than stepwise motion!. Start with Sol-Mi and then add to it!. Pick a song based on this interval with not much else in it and that will help!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

find him songs that have alot of repition in it!.
i taught a tone deaf person!. haha my boyfriend!.
if he really is dedicated don't be scared to be tough on him!.
when reading scales or simply repeating them!. have him really hear the note, even sing it for him, then have him mock the sound!. do that for a couple minutes!. that will help so that his ear gets used to hearing what tones and how to match it with his voice!.
i did that for 2 hours for 5 days!. not tone deaf ne more lol!. i also did alot of voice exercises and sight reading!.Www@QuestionHome@Com