97.161Apply it to “Happy Birthday”

Use the melody as an audiation benchmark.

Do not start on piano.

Choose a random key, for example:

D♭ major.

First hear tonic:

D♭.

Then internally hear opening degree pattern:

5 5 6 5 1 7.

D♭ major:

D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C.

So the opening becomes:

A♭ A♭ B♭ A♭ D♭ C.

Before playing:

sing it.

Then verify.

Next internally hear a simple I-V-I harmonic framework.

Only after that touch the keyboard.