Homeschoolers learning to sing in Harmony

        Probably the easiest route to learning to sing in Harmony is through
                                     Echo Songs, Rounds, and Partner Songs. 

 Round - “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” is an example of a Round.  In a round, the harmony is provided when the phrases of the tune imitate each other on parallel but different pitches.  This fun little tune has two musical phrases constructed over one harmonic center (tonic chord only).  The melody contains repeated notes, short scale passages, and an arpeggio chord all sung to a catchy rhythm.  It can be subdivided so that second, third or fourth groups can start at 2 beat intervals.  And they continue singing their part at least three times making the melody go round and round and round.  Other well-known rounds are “Make New Friends But Keep the Old,” “Hey Ho, Nobody Home,” “Christmas Is Coming,” “Come, Follow Me,” ”Scotland’s Burning,” and “Are You Sleeping, Brother John?”

Lead and Echo Songs -  “Sippin’ Cider Through a Straw” and “The Other Day I Met a Bear” are two examples of Lead and Echo Songs.  The first phrase is sung by the leader and echoed by the group and so on through the first four phrases.  Harmony is provided when the last note of the phrase is held out while the echo is sung.   Then everyone sings the recapitulation together.  This procedure usually goes on for many verses.

            The prettiest girl_______ (the prettiest girl)

            I ever saw_______ (I ever saw)

            Was sippin' ci- ________(was sippin' ci-)

            -der through a straw________ (-der through a straw)

            The prettiest girl I ever saw

            Was sippin' cider through a straw

The Other Day I Met a Bear

The other day, I met a bear.
Oh way up there, a great big bear!
The other day I met a bear,
A great big bear, oh way up there!

He looked at me, I looked at him.
He sized me up, I sized up him.
He looked at me, I looked at him.
He sized me up, I sized up him.

And so I ran, away from there.
But right behind, me came that bear.
And so I ran away from there,
But right behind me came that bear.

Ahead of me, I saw a tree,
A great big tree, oh, golly gee!
Ahead of me there was a tree,
A great big tree, oh, golly gee!

The lowest branch, was ten feet up.
I had to jump, aAnd trust my luck.
The lowest branch was ten feet up,
I had to jump and trust my luck.

And so I jumped, into the air,
And missed that branch, oh way up there.
And so I jumped into the air,
And missed that branch oh way up there.

Now don’t you fret, and don’t you frown.
‘Cause I caught that branch, on that way back down.
Now don’t you fret and don’t your frown, ‘
Cause I caught that branch on the way back down.

That’s all there is. There is no more.
Until I meet, that bear once more.
That’s all there is, there is no more,
Until I meet that bear once more!