This session we're focusing on drones and pentatonic scales!
Using drones to practise helps us to begin to understand where our melody is in relation to the key or root note (note one) meaning if we get lost in a song we can hear or begin to hear where home is.
This will make much more sense when we actually do it rather than think about it, so I've created a set of exercises so we can start to internalise what this sounds and feels like!
Warm ups
Perfect Vowels
Drones
Have a listen to this drone and you can practise moving through the perfect vowels over this - this is one of my favourite practises as we can play with the shape of the mouth and hear how this affects the sound and quality of our voice (timbre).
Firstly have a listen to the notes you can hear within the drone and sing them, trying to listen out for the most prominent note (the root or note 1 of the scale).
You can sing through scales over this drone, moving up and down and back to the root - have fun!
Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby
Go to sleep you little baby x 2
You're mama's gone away and you're daddy's gonna stay
Didn't leave nobody but the baby
Go to sleep you little baby x 2
Everybody's gone and the cotton and the corn
Didn't leave nobody but the baby
You're a sweet little baby x 2
Honey and a rock and the sugar don't stock
Gonna bring a bottle to the baby
Don't you weep pretty baby x 2
She's long gone with her red shoes on
Gonna need another lovin' baby
Go to sleep you little baby x2
You and me and the devil makes three
Don't need no other lovin' baby
Go to sleep you little baby x2
Come on lay your bones on the alabaster stones
And be my ever lovin' baby
Improvisations
Have a mess around on these loops and see what diverse melodies, rhythms, and patterns you can come up with!