To create the best performance possible every choir member should aim to sing their parts without having to look at the music. It can be hard for some to learn text off by heart and it can also be scary to not have your music in front of you. It becomes like a comfort blanket. […]
Gestures can be very helpful when working on sections you find hard as they distract from negative thoughts that serve no useful purpose. In the absence of these negative thoughts better singing can occur. Our brains know what to do but we get in the way, so using a few gestures will help. There is […]
In order to sing many things have to work together in your head as well as your body. Singing is both a physical and mental workout and gives a sense of wellbeing and camaraderie. Physically, 140 muscles are involved in singing and many different regions in the brain have to work together and be co-ordinated. […]
Legato means to connect each sound to each other, which is in contrast to staccato whereby each sound is light and slightly separated from each other. A phrase must have enough breath to see it through to the end and for that to happen you need to prepare and know how long the phrase is. […]
Singing a song with one dynamic makes for a very boring song. Consider how you would speak the text of the song as if telling a story to a small child? Would you vary the volume? Of course you would otherwise the child would soon become bored. This is the same for an audience if […]
A lot of new and inexperienced choir members might lack confidence when it comes to singing at an actual performance. Some so much that they happily turn up to rehearsals yet never join in the performance. Even professional singers have stage fright yet they have learnt to manage it so that it doesn’t affect their […]
The most common places of tension for singers is in the shoulders, jaw, root of the tongue and the throat. There are numerous exercises to try to alleviate these tensions which can all be found on YouTube. I however have found a much easier and quicker way to release the tensions in one go. Why […]
At rehearsals I notice a lot of throat clearing and coughing (not related to having a cold). Every throat clear causes minor damage to your vocal chords which are only about 1/2 inch long and very very delicate and repetitive throat clearing can cause permanent damage to them. The need to throat clear is because […]
Each phrase must be started with care and confidence. Watch the MD and count so you are ready to start when you have to, the first note is very important as it sets up the rest of the phrase. Do not launch into the first note hoping for the best but prepare it as follows: […]
What do you focus on when you sing? What should you be focussing on? Are you easily distracted? Our brains are not capable of focussing on more than about 5 things at a time so you have to be selective as what gets your attention depending on what you are doing and what you want […]