Monody

• The name for chant style is monody, where a single melodic line dominates the entire work and groups of notes are sung for each syllable. Text has priority over melody, so the singers must understand the sense of the text and work together. Learning chant is not difficult but it can seem strange, working with new terminology and unfamiliar notation. Although there are a number of activities available for individual learning, chant is best and most easily learned in a choir setting. There is no place in chant for solo performances, but 1,400 years of church history demonstrate that it offers fine opportunities for both choirs and congregations.
  
  

Repertoire

• Church congregations can add at least two pieces of chant to their repertoire in a year and to do so they should begin with Latin chant hymns that translate well into English. This will familiarize them with the historic tunes, which can later be sung in Latin. Another learning activity for congregations is for the choir to sing one of the simpler chant pieces of liturgical text with instrumental accompaniment. The music will enable the congregation to follow and after hearing the piece several times they will be able participate. When the congregation have become familiar and comfortable with singing some chant, more ambitious works can be added over time.
  
  

Director

• Alternatively, the choir and congregation can share a chant, with the choir director indicating to the congregation when they are to join in. This is a quick way to introduce simpler chant pieces. Eventually the congregation will chant the entire piece along with the choir.
  
  

Meditation

• The organist could use chant melodies as prelude and meditation music, to make them more familiar to the congregation. Likewise, the choir could use the chant tones as vocal warm-up exercises so they can confidently support the congregation. The priest, in particular, should learn to use the chants in the new "Roman Missal" being issued in fall 2011 so that he is able to help the congregation in singing their parts well. Introducing young children to Gregorian chant is a new idea that is really taking-off, with at least two schemes available, according to Music Spotlight. A musical mom and dad have made a CD of their children chanting in order to introduce whole families to the music and this has been followed-up with downloadable learning materials. There is also a chant course available for children aged 8 to 11, notes The Chant Café.