Resources for Learning

Audiation

The development of thinking of pitch before singing; ability to focus on harmony, melody and rhythm without it being audible. This can also be achieved by using movement, feeling the pulse of the song swaying the body to the rhythm to internalize the movement of the piece. The term Audiation derives from the Gordon Approach. 

 

Posture

Learning about posture is one of the most important practices for beginner singers to form healthy habits such as "breast plate open by shoulders relaxed and. rolled back". One method used is The Alexander Technique. 

 

Respiration

Inhalation, suspension, exhalation and recovery.
Through diaphragmatic breathing, singers use their abdominal area to support their breath and sound. This is done by applying proper posture and involving the ribs and upper torso to expand allowing the diaphragm to regulate airflow controlling breath support. By avoiding coastal breathing (taking a shallow breath from the throat) this helps avoid putting stress on the vocal cords as well as helps with overall healthy and supported production of tone and range.

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Onset

“The Goldie Locks of Onset. Hard, Soft, Just right!”

 

Hard: glottal onset

Soft: breathy on set

Just Right: balanced on set

Vocal onset is how we approach our first note as singers and the beginning of airflow sent to vibrate the vocal cords. A glottal onset (hard onset) can produce a harsh sound and overtime can do damage to the voice. A soft onset can sometimes be used for artistic expression (in certain ways glottal onsets are used as well) however, this can have an opposite effect making the sound too breathy and create a loss of enunciation. With a balanced onset, enunciation, support (no tension) and clarity are all present.

 

Articulation

Diction
“tip of the tongue the teeth the lips” or you may have heard some vocal instructors say "pretend you are singing to the back of the room". Articulation holds importance to convey clarity of words and lyrics, tonality of sound as well as accuracy of rhythm 

 

Resonance
Some teachers will have vocalist sing and hold/support one note to practice sound, colour tone, timbre & volume all which play importance in pitch as well as for harmonizing purposes.

 

Technique

Technique is achieved with much time spent practicing and having the patience to applying this concepts listed.

 

Efficiency

Persuading your audience with eloquence, knowing the message of the words and lyric in a song and what is needed to achieve the emotion in the message while working either as a solo performer or as a group, ensemble, choir etc.