Solving Choral Problems

Through Vocalise: Some Techniques

by Jay Williams 8/2008

 

Vocalises (vocal exercises) without purpose are a nuisance to the choir and no better than a warmup piece.  Vocalise with purpose, on the other hand, are powerful medicine.  Their targeted application will improve your choir’s tone, intonation, stamina, and range.

 

Vocalises can be sung or spoken.  When sung, the exercise is commonly repeated in chromatic steps.  Exercises focus on pitch, tone quality, range, etc.  When spoken, the exercise focuses on rhythm, diction, or breathing.

 

Vocalises are a good opportunity to bring fun into the rehearsal, since many of them involve singing or doing something silly.  A smiling choir, after all, sounds better.

 

This article will describe common symptoms and vocalises or other rehearsal techniques that target them.

 

1. Poor Resonance

o       Sing scale degrees 1 5 4 3 2 1 on “nee – aa – ahh”: The “nee” sound is used to find a good resonant head placement; the “aa – ahh” lowers the jaw, further improving resonance.  Choir should keep voice placement from “nee” through the exercise.

o       On one pitch sing “Luggedy Luggedy Luggedy Luggedy La” to lift the soft palate.

o       Sing on one pitch “hungy hungy hungy hungy”, then “aah” on scale degrees 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1.  Choir focuses on buzz caused by “ng” sound; “y” raises the soft palate, and the “aah” portion focuses on maintaining that resonant buzz.

o       Model pompous, stereotypical British theatrical speaking:  “Hoooow do you doo?  What a looovely Daay for tea.”  “Ooour Paahty is Siimply diviiine”, etc.  Choir repeats, offers their own silly phrases to try.  Transition to singing using the same placement.

 

2. Mushy Consonants

o       On a single pitch, sing “Tiki tiki tiki tiki tah”,  focusing on the crisp formation of consonants.  Beware of tension: Encourage a relaxed, yet articulated sound using your own relaxed body language.

o       Same as above, on “Pitter Patter Pitter Patter Pee”

o       Read the lyrics together, animatedly.  Thereby allow the choir to hear the difference between articulate and inarticulate lyrics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Raised Larynx (Pinched “reaching” for high notes)

o       Sing vocalizes on the syllable “bah”, which is hard to do with a raised larynx.  Encourage lowered jaw by modeling.

o       Have choir members gradually bend at the waist as the pitch of a vocalise rises.  Have choir member lower their chin somewhat on the highest pitch.  The visible imagery transfers to the larynx. 

 

4. Rythmic Imprecision

o       Sing lightly through the music on the syllable “dee”.

o       Choose the smallest rhythmic denominator of the music.  Sing through the music on a staccato of that note value, however many are needed for each note.  Example: “My y Cou un try y tis is is of thee ee sweet eet la and o of li i i ber ty y o of the e I i si i i i i ing. (singing pulsed 8^th notes)

o       Position choir so that each member can reach the shoulder of the person next to her.  Have each person tap the pulse of the music on the shoulder of the person next to him.

o       Have the choir walk, sway, or dance to the beat of the music.

 

5.  Heavy Tone, flatness

• Sing through music on a light “fah” syllable to lighten the tone.
• Sing through on the syllable “zah” or “zee” to brighten the tone.
• Have the choir, while singing, do some kind of lifting physical motion with hands or arms.  Have them conduct the phrases in wide, arching motions.
• Have the choir move their heads side to side to break up neck tension while singing. 
• Internalizing the rhythmic pulse improves pitch.  Fix that first if both are posing problems.
• Sometimes singing a piece a half-step higher will improve pitch and lighten tone, especially if the original key is F major.
• Fatigue will cause these symptoms.  Be mindful of your choir’s health and avoid overtaxing their voices.

 

6. Shallow Breathing

• Inhale, place your hand over your mouth, establish air pressure against it, then throw  your hand away on the first note of a descending exercise.  Choir feels what air pressure minus vocal tension can achieve, and learns that it’s OK to make a loud sound. 
• Have choir fill their lungs to capacity: Start by doing it to the count of 16: See if they can meter their air so that by 16 their lungs are just full to capacity.  The decrease count.  Goal is to completely fill lungs in one breath.  Follow up with a vocalise for which every time lungs are filled to capacity.
• Have choir empty lungs to capacity using the technique above.  When exhaling, choir hisses in order to give audible feedback and to feel air resistance.  End with endurance contest beginning with a full breath of air and ending with the last hiss.
• Strenghten diaphragm/abdominal muscle coordination.  Pulse quarter notes on a forceful consonant. No pitch, just air pressure: “K K K K  P P P P  T T T T  Sh Sh Sh Sh” and so on
• Same as above, but spoken: “Peach Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, “Huckleberry Pie”, aspirating heavily on the B’s or P’s, prounouncing all consonants clearly.
• Sing a vocalise using “Brr” lips or using a Spanish “r” trill to impose air resistance.  The choir will be required to use the correct amount of air in order to create the sound, and at the same time will be required to relax the voice.  Redo the vocalise with its normal sound, but have the choir use the same amount of air and of vocal relaxation.
• Shallow breathing is often the result of poor posture or body alignment.  problems in themselves, fatigue exaserbates them.  Keep on posture and body alignment, but keep the choir moving during rehearsals in order to minimize fatigue.

 

7.  Poor Range

• Once having addressed issues 1-6, the first causes poor range will have been addressed somewhat.  Vocal tension pinches off the lower range; Upper range is pinched off by improper balance between breath and vocal tension, poor voice alignment, and psychological self-sabotage.  Range-expanding exercises should begin light and agile until the director feels comfortable with the choir’s technique.  Scales, arpeggios, and other repetitive patterns repeated at chromatic intervals are effective.  Listen carefully to the Alto and Bass as the scales rise:  They should slip into a relaxed head voice as their natural range is exceeded.  Do not overdo this type of exercise, since it fatigues the voice quickly.

 

8.  Poor Agility

• Sing arpeggios and other repetitive patterns, lightly and with attention to correct pitch.  Sing a cappella.  If pitch is an issue, slow down the vocalise to hear the correct pitches, then speed up gradually until proper pitch and tempo are achieved.

 

These are a few of my vocalise and rehearsal techniques.  Most are borrowed.  Imagination, trial-and-error, and exposure to other choirs will expand your repertoire of techniques.  Be sure to pass on what you learn.  I’ll try to keep this list expanding as you do.

 

Jay Williams