Note-up-down

Pick a melody - either something everyone knows, like a folk song, or something the singers are learning.

Ask singers to sing the melody, but replacing the regular words with the words 'up', 'down' and 'same', one to a note, depending on how that note has moved in relation to its predecessor. For instance:



(The very first note is simply ‘note’.)

Go slow at the start!

Point out how patterns in the music are shown up by singing it that way.

Also, the effort of trying to sing the right words takes conscious attention away from the melody — which can help with quick memorisation of awkward melodies.