Step 4: Partner Songs

Hopefully if you have been reading my blog posts, your family has tried some Echo Songs, Rounds and Canons. Maybe this activity has become something you look forward to doing together. Friends of mine are even trying this kind of shelter-at-home activity with their grand-kids who live in another state! (They either send a voice memo for the kids to listen to, or use an app like Acapella to record and send many parts which can then be sung synchronously. This would work well for sending a partner song, as all 2-6 parts could be sung by the two grandparents!) With technology we can make music “together” in many different ways, and pass our best loved songs down to our grandkids in a digital format. However, (call me a choir geek!) there is nothing that can completely trump singing WITH others in person.

We loved canons and rounds because suddenly there was harmony – without requiring years of skill building. But if anything beat that in our family progression of singing, it was partner songs. These songs also create harmony – but with one slightly more interesting aspect: multiple melodies (which work together harmonically) are sung simultaneously. Thus each family member has his/her OWN special song to sing. Nothing strengthens one’s ear and singing independence better than partner songs – whether sung by preschool children, teenagers or adults.

Once again we found our own family turning to our upbringing, teaching our kids two favorite songs from Brad’s past. One (The Orchestra) I’ve already shared in an earlier blog post – “Quarant-sing: A Chance to Sing!” (April 13, 2020.) The 2nd (The Nursery Rhymes) is another wonderful partner song with individual songs of varying degrees of difficulty, giving ALL in the group something just right for their ability, even very young kids.

The Nursery Rhymes are a bit more complicated than The Orchestra, melodically. Each of the 5 melodies can be assigned to singers based on interest, ability and vocal range. Sing a Song of Six Pence is for a high voice. Pea’s Porridge Hot is for a low voice. The remaining melodies are medium range. (On the other hand, the parts can be randomly assigned – by hair color or by drawn straws! Let each singer experiment with the feeling of singing in the various ranges.) Don’t forget to rotate songs once in awhile. Variety is the spice of this kind of song!

Even the youngest child will enjoy these, and in my mind’s eye I can see my only granddaughter (age 3) singing Little Bo Peep so proudly just a few months ago. As I’ve mentioned, Brad (her grandpa) smiles as he himself remembers singing these songs at age 5 or 6, plugging his ears and singing at the top of his voice, so as not to get pulled off his own part by his older siblings. On the other hand, high school kids and even adults may find it tricky to keep singing their own melody by themselves, singing their part alone. It is a bit like lifting weights – with each repetition skills and independence are reinforced, until eventually the singer’s ear is well developed, and confidence begins to fuel their artistry as a vocalist.

If you would like to experiment with other well-known partner folk songs which many of us learned at school, you might be interested in the following list. Another favorite from the Holmes family singing years is Pretty Planet (Tom Chapin.) Although he plays guitar along with this lovely song, we always chose to sing it without accompaniment. I can recall singing it around campfires and for friends in their homes. Pretty Planet has a beautiful text which can be appreciated by all age levels, and is a wonderful tool to teach your family about the beauty of our earth.

Below is a downloadable pdf of The Nursery Rhymes, with all 5 melodies and the composite recording.

The Nursery Rhymes Download