What are they?
Curwen hand signs were invented by John Curwen (1816–1880) to help his singers to sing in tune. They are a helpful tool as students learn Solfege since it adds the kinesthetic element to singing. As the melody goes higher, the hands move up in the air. It also helps develop inner hearing.
Tips for Use
- It is helpful to use both hands when doing the hand signs to avoid left / right confusion.
- Low do is usually placed at the waist level, so is at shoulder level, and high do is at eye or forehead level.
- This can help teachers visually assess if students are singing the correct pitches.
Visuals
(See downloads at bottom of page.)
Other Visuals
(Available on another page. Click images to access.)
See also
YouTube
or purchase here (printables only)
- Printable & Digital Curwen Hand Sign Visuals
