Ethan Hutchinson

MUSE 258

Sound Connections: Chapter 4

Don P. Ester
2010

Chapter 4 of Sound Connections is a further explanation of proper sequencing of tonal

and rhythmic music literacy exercises. It is further explained about the duration of time for which

the brain stores information, 2-4 seconds for visual information, 1 second for aural information,

and how, as an educator teaching music literacy, we must find a way to work around the short

time span in which the brain stores information. Coordination between these two factors is

important and must be considered by the teacher when planning lessons.

Sound Connections provides a sequencing of learning tonal and rhythmic content that

builds upon the basic music literacy sequencing for learning complex musical passages. This

chapter provides a more in depth look at how the specific sequencing allows for certain

instructional strategies to work effectively in teaching. The Sound Connections approach allows

for easier chunking and retainment of information on the student’s part. It also allows for

students to quickly switch between key centers and simple and compound meters as necessary

when required by a song or simply the request of the teacher.

As a future educator, understanding this sequencing is important because it is something

that I will use everyday in my classroom when teaching songs. Utilizing this sequencing method

will allow my students to become comprehensive musicians that should not need a teacher to

guide them through learning a song or part, as they will have the skills necessary to learn the
music on their own, proving that the Sound Connections method is effective in teaching music

literacy.