I am preparing students for examinations which include aural testing. As part of the examination "the candidates are required to sing, as an echo, three short phrases. The echoes should follow each phrase in strict time without an intervening pause. The key chord and tonic will first be sounded and the pulse indicated".

When I prepare these students for the exam I always tell them to count so that they know when the playing of the examiner will finish and when they will have to start singing (because "the echoes should follow each phrase in strict time without an intervening pause". However, I always been told BY MY STUDENTS "I CAN NOT CONCENTRATE TO THE MELODY AND THE DIRECTION OF THE HIGH AND LOW NOTES IF I COUNT SILENTLY". I HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT STUDENTS AND I WONDER HOW TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY GET CONFUSED WHEN THEY PAY ATTENTION TO BOTH BEAT AND MELODY. ANYBODY HAS ANY IDEAS? I also noticed that when the students concsEntrate to the melody they are lost of where I play and as a result they do not know when to begin to play and there is an intervening pause between my playing and their singing.