Learning Chant is another term for learning Elementary Music Literacy*. There are three pillars to music literacy:

• Encouragement. Encouragement is not praise. Music literacy suffers from “music marketing” which positions music literacy as reserved to an elite. It is not. Chant is for everyone. So is music literacy.
• Adequate instruction (see Introduction to the Movable DO method ) . A path to music literacy should be offered in every church and community choir. Ask your music director if/why that is not the case. If they say it is impossible, do not believe them.
• Practice: at least weekly, daily if possible (consider chanting Compline every day).

*the videos below were originally made to address an audience of Catholic choir members. The subject is however relevant beyond church choirs (see videos 4 & 5) and if the catholic tone of this argument is a distraction to you, please remember that a monk invented music notation, and approach the catholic elements as “historical”. Thank you for reading thus far. I hope you continue.

The videos below are an ENCOURAGEMENT to make your first step towards music literacy.

VIDEO 1 : GUIDO D’AREZZO AND THE ORIGINS OF MUSIC LITERACY

See also: Chant and solfege: the foundations of music literacy…

VIDEO 2 : WHY WE MUST SING

VIDEO 3 : WHY WE DON’T SING

VIDEO 4 : SOUND BEFORE SIGHT WITH DR. CAROL KRUEGER

VIDEO 5 : THE A-CAPPELLA REHEARSAL WITH CHRIS MUNCE OF THE CHORALOSOPHY PODCAST

…for even more material on learning to read music, visit the CHORALOSOPHY MUSIC LITERACY SUITE

Do you prefer to work from a book to learn how read chant notation?

Noel Jones wrote a very good method using the song “Joy to the World” for beginners to learn how to read chant notation. You can download the (free) book at the below: