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Deck the Halls
An old Welsh carol tune with English words from 1862: a brisk melody in major with a “fa la la” after every line.
Deck the Halls sets English words from 1862, with the American verse “Don we now our gay apparel,” to an old Welsh carol melody. Here you get one full verse of 68 notes in about 34 seconds. Three of the four lines open with the same dotted figure stepping down from the fifth to the root. After every line comes a “fa la la” refrain, and in the third one it climbs a scale all the way up to the octave.
How to do it
- Wait for the two count-in clicks; the piano plays the first phrase alone and then plays along with you.
- Sing “Deck the halls” and “'Tis the season” to the same tune, keeping the long first note of each line full.
- In each “fa la la,” sing the eighth notes short and even, one syllable per tile.
- On the two-note “Fa” and “la” of the third refrain, slide smoothly from one tile to the next in one sound.
- End every refrain on the root with a steady note instead of letting it drop.
Coach's tip: Keep the “fa la la” light and even – it likes to rush. In the third refrain the tune climbs a scale to the octave: aim at the top note, don’t scoop up to it.
What to watch out for
The refrains like to run ahead of the piano, so keep listening to it. The climbing scale in the third line often goes flat near the top; aim the octave as a target, don't scoop up to it. In the last refrain the same note repeats four times on the sixth, and it tends to sink, so keep it at one height. If your throat tightens on the high notes, lighten up rather than push.
Who it's for
Level 1, for beginners who want a cheerful melody with words, or anyone after a quick rhythm check. Before it, sing 5-note scale and Major scale (octave) to settle the stepwise motion. No program lists it. The daily training brings it up more often if you chose the Folk / country style. It works well as a light closer.
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