Archive for the ‘Tone’ Category

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Singing Turns Your Breath Into Music

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

There's a lot to a trumpet.I just saw a great cartoon from the old Family Circus series. The older brother is holding a trumpet and educating his younger sibling.  He says,

“When you blow through here it turns your breath into music.”  

That’s EXACTLY how a child would summarize the workings of a trumpet.  He doesn’t need to know all the details. Someone else has taken care of that, and it works.

Well, guess what? In many ways we should think of our voices the same way.  You move air from the lungs up through the mouth and it turns it into music. In fact, when performing, that’s about all you have room in your brain to think about.  The rest of your attention should be on being an expressive communicator to the listener.

Don’t get me wrong. I am fully aware of all the mechanical and acoustical events going on as well as the preparation it takes to become a good singer.  I’m just reminding us all that it’s easy to over-think the whole vocal process to the point of sounding and looking like a vocal robot.

 Learning the mechanics in order to not have to think about the mechanics is the goal, and it is a process.  But oh the joy of being able to just stand there and let your mind, body and spirit turn moving breath into a powerful and clear message.

Remember, it’s easy:

“When you blow through here it turns your breath into music.”

 Have an amazing week, and let me know how Vocal Coach can help you do what you do, better.

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Posted in Breathing, From The Heart of Chris Beatty, Teaching Kids To Sing, Tone, Uncategorized | No Comments »

What Is The Lip-Trill or Bubble Exercise? & Dallas area, here we come.

Monday, November 7th, 2011

THE LIP-TRILL MYSTERY SOLVED (with Audio Demonstration)! 

Recently, I’ve been getting a lot of questions regarding one of the most powerful vocal exercises any singer or speaker can do: THE LIP-TRILL, BUBBLE or MOTOR exercise.

Before you listen to the audio link below prepare your mind with these thoughts:

1. The lip-trill is done naturally by all babies and toddlers. Yes, YOU did it when you were younger!

2. It brings an awareness of the many parts of the face and head that are involved when you speak and sing.

3. It is the safest way to venture into your highest notes without straining or pushing.

4. It helps the body produce the right lubrication for the leading edges of the vocal folds.

5. It serves as a natural decongestant since it helps vibrate loose any thick mucus in the sinuses and nasal passages.

6. This exercise is so freeing you may literally open up entire new areas of your voice.

How important is the Lip-Trill? I have all my students sing their songs on the lip-trill sound to discover how the song SHOULD FEEL when they sing it.

CLICK HERE: Lip Trill Demo by Vocal Coach Chris Beatty

 

 

DO YOU LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR DALLAS/PLANO?

Has Your Voice Had A Tune-Up Lately?

Join us Saturday, November 12 from 9:00-Noon for a live, interactive Vocal Coach Workshop.

  • LIMITED TO 15 STUDENTS.
  • LIVE VIDEO FEED BETWEEN CHRIS BEATTY IN THE VOCAL COACH STUDIO IN TN & YOU IN THE VOICE KITCHEN STUDIO IN PLANO.
  • A WONDERFUL AND INEXPENSIVE WAY TO GET THE PERSONAL ATTENTION YOU NEED TO BE YOUR BEST.

Please click here for more details and to sign up: Vocal Coach Workshop at the Voice Kitchen, Dallas.

The voice Kitchen is located at:   7005 Chase Oaks Blvd., Suite 250, Plano, TX 75025

Have Questions?  Just call Jill at 469-383-8885


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Posted in Choir Directors, Singing Exercises, Singing Subjects, Soloist, Teaching Teens To Sing, Tone, Uncategorized, Vocal Coach Audios, Vocal Coach Workshops, Vocal Range, Warm-Ups | No Comments »

EVER EXPERIENCE FEAR OR INSECURITY WHEN YOU SING?

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Both fear and insecurity can cause unsteady breathing, stressed tone quality, inaccurate pitch and more.

If this is you, here are some solutions to set you free:

INEXPERIENCE. If mere inexperience is the cause, the solution will be found in developing and owning good vocal technique and performance skills.  This can be accomplished by finding a local, qualified teacher and coach, or taking advantage of Vocal Coach Online Training.  Online training is the personal, powerful, convenient and cost effective way to get the training you need.
SHYNESS. If you are a shy person by nature, you may need additional coaching to further reinforce mechanics of not only the voice, but also of expression and gestures. These will have to be exaggerated. Rehearsing with props and in front of a video camera or mirror is especially helpful.  If you don’t naturally know how to be expressive in front of a crowd consider using the Complete Performance CD. It’s a powerful tool.
PITCH ISSUES. If you have pitch issues, and know it, dig in with a sensitive, experienced teacher and conquer this ear-training issue. This is a nonnegotiable skill for singers.  If, after reasonable time you don’t see much progress get a second opinion.  If you are still not able to get from pitch center to pitch center accurately, you may have to confront the possibility that singing in public is not for you.  Even then, as long as you’re not holding a microphone, sing on, and enjoy.  Note: We can do an effective evaluation of pitch issues with a single Online Session using Skype or iChat. Just visit Personal Training on our site.
UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. If your own expectations are a bit too idealistic, based more on dreams than honest feedback and careful training, it may be time to reevaluate and recalculate.  You should know that the stories behind most successful singers include a lot about very hard work. That doesn’t mean singing 8 hours a day, but It does mean learning how to use the tools of singing properly.  This includes your vocal mechanism, accurate pitch, an understanding of tone quality, expression and gesture and more. Good singers don’t just happen any more than good athletes do.  It’s always about inspiration plus . . . preparation. One, without the other, will always leave you lacking.

THE GOOD NEWS is that you don’t need to be stuck with bad vocal habits or even a lack of knowing where you really stand. Step out, reach out and enjoy the voice you have. Vocal Coach is here to serve your vocal needs.

P.S. You can now download PDF files for the leadsheets (notes & lyrics) for our most popular CD’s for only  $2.99 each. Just check the CD in the Vocal Coach Store.

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Posted in Choir Directors, From The Heart of Chris Beatty, Kids and Teens, Performance, Tone, Uncategorized | No Comments »

DICTION. IT’S MORE THAN WORDS.

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

DICTION REALLY IS ABOUT MORE THAN WORDS

Most people know that diction is all about making your message understandable to the listener.  But, for the singer, there is a lot more at stake than just the message. There are vocal issues!  Issues like tone quality, pitch and vocal stamina.  These areas and more are impacted by the way you pronounce your words.

Example 1: if you’re a mumbler, there’s a good chance your larynx is working overtime trying to fix the unclear words coming out of your mouth.  It can’t, of course, since diction has to be taken care of with lips, tongue, teeth and an ear that knows what to listen for. Clearing up the diction will reduce vocal stress and make you a better singer.

Example 2: If you have sloppy diction when you record and depend on “fixing it in the mix” you’re building some really bad habits. It’s true that programs like ProTools, Logic Pro and AutoTune allow the engineer to correct pitch, reduce the amount of SSS or TTT and even move a syllable within the phrase.  But, some things are better being done right in real-time, every time.  It’s healthier for your voice, makes a better performer and makes you more fun to record.

SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Begin by looking at your self in a mirror and lip-syncing the words to a song.  No sound, but moving lips, face and tongue.  It will help you get in touch with all the muscles involved with good diction.  Next, still with no sound, be even more expressive as you “sing” the song and memorize the “feeling” of good diction and expression. Finally, make sure your voice is warmed up and put the music to it.  Try and duplicate what you felt in the first exercises.

VERY SPECIAL OFFER

Because DICTION is one of those important-but-often-neglected areas of singing, WE ARE OFFERING THE COMPLETE DICTION CD at a special price.  Just CLICK HERE to learn more and save 20%.

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Posted in Choir Directors, Diction, Performance, Soloist, Teaching Teens To Sing, Tone, Uncategorized, Worship Team | No Comments »

Just The Right Amount of Air

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Not Enough Breath To Get The Job Done?

TOO MUCH AIR?

When a singer begins performing publicly there is a tendency to push too much air. It is often the result of adrenaline, combined with the unfamiliar feedback from monitors and house speakers.  If you take in too much air, then push it out too fast, it can compromise pitch, tone quality and more.

TOO LITTLE AIR?

Then, there are those who suddenly get timid as they hear their own voices through the sound system and are unsure of how to react.  Some singers are so distracted they actually forget to breathe and find themselves panicking as a result.

THE GOAL IS . . . JUST WHAT YOU NEED

The goal is to provide the larynx with just the right amount of air, and air pressure to get the job done. That means, of course, that the brain has to know what the demands of the phrase are.  The vocal range, length of each note, volume and even the style. Once that is understood, as a result of studying the song, the brain can tell the respiratory system exactly what to provide. As long as the breathing mechanism has been exercised the right way it will have the agility and stamina to do the job.

Sound complicated?  It is.  But, most of this will happen automatically if you will spend some time training and exercising the different parts of your singing mechanism. It also requires that you spend some time working with and analyzing what you want to do with the song.

60' Tall Inflatable Slide. Just the right amount of air brings joy to all!

SOME PEOPLE DO IT SO EASILY

“But,” you might say, “some people seem to do it so easily and naturally.”  True, but it probably took them a few years for it to become “easy and natural.”  Many artists and athletes appear to become overnight successes, but it seldom happens over night.  You just hadn’t heard about them while they were struggling through the training periods.

SOME TIPS FOR MASTERING THE AIR FLOW

  • First, remember that the voice is a  wind instrument.  A moving column of air, traveling between the vocal folds is what makes the sound. Therefore, the way you move the air has everything to do with your success.  As you look at the pictures of the 60′ tall inflatable slide it becomes clear that the right about of air is necessary if it is to serve its purpose.  Too little will collapse it.  Too much could pop.  But, just the right amount brings joy to hundreds, just like good singing.
  • Balanced posture allows you free, efficient breathing. Slouching, or sticking the head out over your toes will limit your chances for success.
  • Practicing breathing as its own skill, using sipping and hissing exercises while watching for a still posture gets the muscles ready. That, in turn, leads to good muscle memory.
  • As you inhale, remember to feel it down and out. That is, feel your inhalations expanding fully around the waist area, front, sides and into the lower back.
  • As you exhale, keep the back and sides stable. Allow the frontal abdominal wall to come in as needed but keep the back and sides comfortably expanding.

IT’S NOT MAGIC

REMEMBER: Even with  singers who seem to have an almost “magical” touch when they perform it’s really a matter of Preparation, combined with Inspiration and experience. Do the work . . . the right way . . . and you, too, will get good results.

DON’T MISS SPECIAL OFFERS

Don’t forget to check the Vocal Coach Store for current special offers and make the most of your instrument. If you’re looking for a tool to get your breathing squared away take a look at the COMPLETE BREATHING CD.  To see other special offers check out the HOME PAGE.

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Posted in Breathing, Posture, Singing Subjects, Soloist, Tone, Uncategorized | No Comments »

WHAT IF YOU WERE ALWAYS BEING RECORDED?

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

24/7 RECORDING?
What if every word you spoke and sang at home, in the car, in rehearsal and in performance was recorded? Then, at the end of the day you would be given an evaluation of how you did in areas with your tone quality, appropriate volume, clarity of your words, use of breath and more. Would that change the way you use your voice?
For some, the very possibility of being recorded and evaluated would lead to paranoia, not to mention less speaking and singing. For most, however, it should give birth to a fun, challenging and very fulfilling game called, “I will prepare mentally and physically before I open my mouth.”

THINK ABOUT IT
Every time you make an audible sound you are reinforcing your physical process be it right or wrong. If you’re like most people you speak without ever thinking about the actual sound. Hopefully, that’s because you are focusing on the message.

The fact is, we have the mental capacity to think about content and voice at the same time, and that should be our goal. Even as we begin the process we can quadruple the power of our communications by matching content with appropriate tone, volume, diction and inflections. Any time we don’t have all these elements working in harmony we risk a partial disconnect between what we think we are saying and what actually gets heard.

MAKE A LIST

It begins with you actively listening to and defining your own voice. What does it sound like? Is it rough, smooth, pitched high or low or in between? Is it soothing or alarming, unnecessarily loud or too soft to be heard? Are the words clear and easy for others to understand, or are they mumbled, requiring repeats of what you’ve said? Write down these observations. If you have the courage, ask several others to give their feedback on the above list of possibilities. Keep this list handy as you begin the Exercise In Voice Awareness.

FOR SPEAKING

  • Using your new list begin to make the changes you are capable of.
  • If you are straining your throat while trying to speak at too low a pitch (you can put a hand there and feel it) stop it. Allow your speaking voice to be slightly higher.
  • If you are always hyper and loud when you speak, relax. Get softer. It will be easier on the listener and your voice. It will also give you room to build and grow your sound when that is appropriate.
  • If you mumble your words, slow down and use the lips, tongue and teeth. With a little listening and effort you can be clear.
  • Adjust other obvious areas, then begin “hearing” your tone and voice quality before it comes out, then speak.

FOR SINGING

  • Before you make a sung sound think about it. What should it feel like (posture, breathing, tone resonance, diction)? Then, consider what it should sound like. Mentally anticipate and “hear” the sound before it comes out. This is a skill that you can develop.
  • Whenever possible, record yourself speaking or singing, and be objective as you listen back. Ask yourself what areas met your goals and what didn’t? What can you do about it? Even many smart phones can record with surprisingly accurate quality.

REMEMBER THE GOAL

As you mentally record and evaluate your voice, you will grow in your vocal awareness. Your goal is to be “hearing” your voice even before the sound is produced. This will help the different parts of the vocal process (posture, breathing, tone, diction, and volume) deliver exactly what you want rather than whatever default sound happens to come out.

WHEN WILL YOU SEE THE FRUIT?

You can start benefiting almost immediately but it will take a little time before it happens automatically. In my own experience I began just thinking about and enjoying the sound and physical sensations of the voice. Before long it was always in the back of my mind. Now, it just happens and things adjust in milliseconds before sound comes out. Because it is on autopilot, I can put all my thought into content and delivering the message whether speaking or singing.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?

Let me know your thoughts and questions at chris@vocalcoach.com and be sure to visit our FaceBook page by clicking the icon in the upper, left-hand corner of this page. While on the FB page click the “Like” button at the top of the page.

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Posted in Breathing, Choir Directors, Diction, Posture, Singing Subjects, Soloist, Speaking Tips, Tone, Uncategorized, Vocal Health, Voice Fatigue and Strain, Worship Team | No Comments »

VOICE PROTECTION for TEACHERS and SPEAKERS

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Every Fall I get emails from teachers complaining of voice fatigue, and sometimes even voice loss.  In these next few minutes I’ll share some ideas and exercises that are good for teachers, salesmen, pastors and anyone who uses their voice consistently throughout the day.

To begin with, remember that what we call “the voice,” is really a physical, mechanical and acoustical instrument.  It is designed to work in a specific way and involves a number of different organs and systems of the body. Posture, breathing, articulation, projection and more are involved every time you speak.  Here are some thoughts and exercises to help you prepare and maintain your speaking instrument:

  1. The voice is a complex, physical instrument.
  2. Physical systems need to be warmed up and cooled down.
  3. Understanding how your voice projects, takes the pressure off.

A Physical Instrument

Since your voice has always just “been there,” it’s easy to mistreat.  The fact is, the voice is a series of physical systems that need to be maintained and cared for.  Posture, breathing and articulatory muscles are all involved.

Warm It Up and Cool It Down

Because we are dealing with muscles, tendons, cartilage, membrane and more, you should warm up your instrument before you hit the classroom or office.  Just how does a teacher or speaker warm up the voice? Here is a checklist that will help:

1. Hands Up! Prepare the instrument, which is you, by lifting your hands straight up over your head to align the body.  It will feel good, while at the same time, prevent tension in the neck and larynx that can tire the voice. Muscle memory will help you maintain this posture throughout the day.

2. Check the Power Source. With hands still up, take in four sipping breaths and feel the entire waist area expand. Now, expel the breath on four hissing sounds.  Sip, sip, sip, sip, hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss etc. You will quickly realize where you should be feeling the breathing.  Muscle memory will help you use these same muscles throughout the day, rather than leaving the chest up and down.

3. Hummmmmm. Relax the arms and start humming anything you want – a song, or just sounds.  Go high and low, reaching into all parts of your range.

4. Cool it Down. At the end of your teaching or work day, do some more Humming on a simple melody.  The goal is to allow this physical instrument to gradually return to normal resting size and temperature. The obvious parallel is sports.  Those who cool the muscles are more protected from injury.

Use the “You” Sound System

You are the sound system. While you were humming you could dramatically feel vibrations in the face, head, neck and chest. These are the acoustical chambers of your body amplifying and projecting the sound. The great part is that it doesn’t take a lot of air.  Instead, it naturally amplifies the sound if you don’t over-push it.

As you respect your voice, warming it up and allowing it to naturally project, speaking becomes much less stressful on the voice.  To learn more about ways to preserve and maintain your voice check out the FREE RESOURCES page of our site. If you have questions you would like to have answered just email chris@vocalcoach.com . Need some training tools?  The Complete Breathing, Warm-Up and Diction and Daily Workout CD’s are perfect for teachers and speakers.  The are fun and easy to use.  Check them out by clicking here.

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Posted in Choir Directors, From the Coach, Performance, Posture, Tips Tailored for You, Tone, Uncategorized, Warm-Ups | No Comments »

HOW DO I FIX MY UNSTABLE VOICE?

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Question from Blog reader:

Chris, I am having a voice problem and need your input.  I’ve been using your training CD’s for a few years now and they have helped me a lot.  But, here’s my problem: When I first start a song I feel short of breath.  My voice feels unstable.  After a few words it gets better, but I still have a problem with my voice breaking or quivering. It’s not solid, or stable. Is this a throat problem, breathing or ???  Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Vocal Coach Answer:

When a voice is unstable, wavering, tentative or breaks and quivers there are several possible causes.  Here are some likely ones and some solutions

1.  Anxiety. When you are mentally or emotionally unsure about what is going to come out when you open your mouth it can interfere with breathing, posture, diction, tone, expression . . . everything.  The solution will be found in being more mechanically solid than you are anxious.  In other words, having such secure technique in the posture, breathing, tone and diction that nothing can interfere. Solid muscle memory, of right techniques will be your friend every time.

2.  Posture. If your posture is bent or broken it will interfere with breathing, tone and self-confidence and how the listener perceives your confidence. By lifting your arms straight up over your head you will discover your balanced posture.  As you slowly bring your arms back down be sure to maintain the upright alignment. The shoulders should be completely relaxed, not pulled up or back.  The feeling is one of being “athletically alert,” with a comfortably upright chest. Feel like you have a long back of neck and a shorter front of the neck. The head is back, over the shoulders, with the eyes looking straight ahead.  Don’t let the chin lift for high notes or fall for low notes.  Keep the head position neutral. Once you can sing your songs comfortably in this position you can look anywhere you want.  Just don’t move the head to help you hit a note; it won’t.

3.  Breathing. Securing good breath management will help you sing through the nervous times.  The muscles will just continue to get you the right amount of breath.  Not too much; not too little.  Good breathing starts with good posture. A good first exercise is to get on your back, on the floor and feel what parts of the body are naturally engaged when you breathe in, and out. Then start sipping the breath in through an imaginary straw, and out on a SSSSSSS sound. After you have memorized where the breathing is naturally felt, stand, check your posture and repeat the exercise with a still chest and ribs.

4.  Tone. Getting your posture and breathing more secure opens the possibility for your best vocal sound, or tone quality. The physical sensations of good tone are a relaxed throat, and lots of buzzing resonance (harmonics and overtones) vibrating through the face, mouth, sinuses and nasal passages.  These are all sensations that you can physically feel, memorize and reproduce. A gentle hum will begin the sensation. Adding a chewing motion to the humming will keep the face and jaw more relaxed.  And, don’t be afraid of all the vibrating you feel in the face.  That’s a good sign, and means you are allowing the voice to work and not forcing it. These are aspects of your vocal sound you can “feel,” and that means you can reproduce them using muscle memory.

5.  Diction. Another important area is diction, pronunciation or enunciation.  It just means that the listener gets the message, not just the music. The other bonus of clear diction is this: As your own ears hear clear words coming out they tell the brain to tell the larynx to just relax and keep giving the pitch. If, on the other hand, your ears hear mumbled words they often tell the brain, and the brain (for some unknown reason) gets the larynx involved. That just leads to useless tension in the throat since the larynx can’t help diction.  So, when in doubt, over-pronounce a bit so that even the least attentive listener hears your message.

So, there you have it. A systematic approach, to freeing up an unstable voice by paying attention to your POSTURE, BREATHING, TONE and DICTION.  Needless to say, there’s a lot more to be said on all these topics.  If you want to go deeper, with principles and exercises just go to the main site at vocalcoach.com and look for the Vocal Coach Singer package, or individual subjects by title.

If you have thoughts or comments leave them in the space below.  Thanks.

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Posted in Ask the Coach, Breathing, Choir Directors, Diction, Duets to Groups, From the Coach, Performance, Posture, Singing Subjects, Tone, Voice Fatigue and Strain, Worship Team | 2 Comments »

How Do You Find Your Best Tone Quality?

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Recently, I’ve been teaching a series of classes at our church for current and developing worship leaders.  We have a congregation of over 7,500 with seven weekend services, plus weekly teen and children’s events and more.  That adds up to a lot of very busy singers and instrumentalists.

One of the critical skills we focus on is being able to reproduce a good  blendable, relaxed and resonant tone quality.  Here’s how we get there:

  1. We go step-by-step through the process of checking posture and breathing using the same principles and exercises each time (see blog posts on breathing).
  2. We address diction, making sure the lips, tongue and teeth are engaged.  No mumbling allowed.
  3. We speak the text, conversationally, to mentally connect with the message.
  4. Speaking the text in rhythm starts connecting the words to the music.
  5. We address resonance and the physical sensations of good tone.  For more on that, see the “What Does YOUR Voice Sound Like To Others?” video on our Vocal Coach Free Resources page.

As the singers start getting on the same page, by thinking the same principles and using the same technique, the well-blended tone is there, and it’s amazing to hear.  What began as a group of individual voices has become one voice, with many participants and multiple parts.

Remember: The key is in being able to reproduce that blendable tone by memorizing the process and physical sensations. Our singers now have a tone quality that they can more easily recall and reproduce. So can yours.

To learn more about achieving these skills with your singers check out the Tone, Blend and Group Warm-Ups CD’s. They are available individually or in the Singer and Groups sets and physical products or downloads at the Vocal Coach store.

What helps you find your best tone quality?  Let me know in the “comments” section below.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Posted in Choir Directors, Performance, Singing Subjects, Tips Tailored for You, Tone, Worship Team | No Comments »

I’m A Singer and They Say I’m “Pitchy.” What Can I Do?

Friday, January 15th, 2010

When someone says you’re pitchy, you need to listen.

Being flat, sharp, north or south of the note etc., is worth looking at.  Being pitchy means you are not centering your pitch on the pitch center, which is one of the non-negotiables in singing.

Everyone has occasional inaccuracies, and even major recording artists often let the recording engineer “fix it in the mix.”  That’s where they look at a graphic of the note and literally “drag” it up or down to fix it. In truth, there are a lot of problems that are fixed “in the mix.”

If you have constant pitch issues, it’s another matter, and you need to take some immediate steps to try and fix the problem.  It could be a simple matter of inexperience.  In rare instances, however, you may not have the natural gift, or ability to know if you are on, or even near the right note.  That’s called tone deafness.

In that case, you have a long road to go, and even then you may, or may not be able to accurately sing the right notes. In the same way that some people will never be good athletes, painters or electrical engineers, some will never be accurate singers. But, as long as you’re not picking up a microphone, and claiming to be a good singer, sing on!  God listens to the heart, and those hearing you sing in the shower love your spirit and heart.

Here are some steps you can take to evaluate what’s going on and get things moving in the right direction:

You need accurate feedback to know what’s happening.  That can be either from another musician who can immediately tell where you are in relationship to the note, a recording of you singing, or, ideally, a combination of the two.

Once you are convinced of the need for fine-tuning your pitch accuracy, you need to look at some foundations of singing and go through the “Singer’s Pre-flight Check List.” All of these areas can have an impact on your pitch:

  • Posture. Check it by lifting your hands over your head and going up on your toes.  This is your most efficient, balanced posture.  It needs to be who you are when standing.  When you’re sitting, stand from the waist up.
  • Breathing. Inefficient breathing can make you inconsistent, and tentative. Good breath management will free up the voice and also helps with pitch.*
  • Diction. If your words are sloppy, with unclear vowels and consonants it can get your throat busy trying to fix things.  The throat can’t fix diction issues, and if it tries it can drive pitch up or down.*
  • Do singing accuracy exercises. Pitch matching exercises are a great way to challenge and fine-tune your pitch accuracy. Start with playing (or having someone else play) single pitches and simply matching them.  Then go to two notes, then three, and finally, a series of four or more. You may need someone else to judge your accuracy and point up or down to help you center your pitch.
  • There are software packages that work on ear training, but I’ve not used those with students and can’t recommend a specific one.

In summary, all those who sing in public need to have good pitch accuracy.  It’s a gift and skill that can be enhanced and refined in most singers, and it’s worth the effort.

Let me know your thoughts and experiences in this area.  Also, let me know if you have ever worked with any of the ear training software programs.

May the Lord bless you as you seek to be the best, most efficient communicator you can be, in singing and speaking.

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Posted in Breathing, Diction, Posture, Singing Subjects, Tone, Worship Team | No Comments »

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