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. […]
What is the purpose of humming or blowing into a straw that is in or out of a glass of water and does it really help you create a better sound? Singing/humming through a straw is called an SOVT exercise. Semi Occluded Vocal Tract. The purpose of the straw is to create a back pressure […]
An added bonus to singing correctly is that with regular practice your face will change shape for the better, which can only be a good thing as we age. Raising the soft palate for a better sound and resonance will help lift the cheeks creating more definition. As you raise your soft palate feel the […]
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 […]
There will always be people in a choir who inspire others for very different reasons: They: have a beautiful voice have a strong and secure voice that is easy to follow and gives confidence always seem to know what they are doing have learnt the songs off by heart encourage new members wear interesting/different clothes […]
Although a lot of choirs are not professional ones it should be everybody’s aim to be as professional as possible. The objective of a rehearsal is to learn the songs as well as having fun and having an opportunity to chat to each other. During a rehearsal the MD has a tough job in keeping […]
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 […]