Do you feel you are articulating clearly when singing? In a big group of people there will be slight variations of pronunciation of words, sometimes all members of a choir are not fully together and even if your usual speech is articulate, as a group, the words may not be heard accurately. In the space between you and the audience clarity will get lost. To solve this you have to over enunciate whilst also making a good sound and avoiding any tension
Your tongue must be agile and the tip of the tongue as far forward as possible. As we age the collagen in our connective tissue and muscles becomes less and as a result our tongues will drop back into our throats creating a stifled sound. We must aim to keep our tongue towards and to the roof of the mouth when in resting pose. This requires tongue strength and it is this tongue strength that will help articulate words clearly and precisely. Think of a snake’s tongue flicking in and out of it’s mouth to taste the air for prey. Also if you notice you are developing a double chin as you get older then that can in part have to do with your tongue dropping back so this serves as a cheap face lift as well.
You must aim to over articulate as if talking to a small child or think of Julie Andrews if you have ever heard her sing. Next time you listen to a choir really ask yourself whether you can actually understand all of the words they are singing. A good sound is important of course but not at the cost of loosing the text.
It also helps with clarity of text to focus your lips forward like a daffodil or a fish, this also gives the sound more resonance as the enamel on the teeth acts as a resonator. It also helps when singing low notes to make the sound clearer without the need to sing louder. Projection in this instance is more important than volume.
Tongue twisters are a great way of increasing lip and tongue flexibility – start by saying one slowly and accurately, then increase the tempo and aim to say one five times accurately and finishing at the same tempo you started.
How about – Rubber baby buggy bouncers or which wrist watch is a Swiss wrist watch?
Exercise
On a scale of 1 – 10 give yourself a score of how articulate you currently sing. 10 being you couldn’t possibly do any more. Then use the above to see if you can increase your score.
