Key Concepts in Choral Singing

Singing in an ensemble is all about doing a few basics not only correctly but consistently. Below are the basics. There are MANY different ways to describe each of these and different techniques to accomplish each of these. Just a few of these techniques are mentioned below, and we'll certainly strive to make sure everyone finds a concept to grab onto. However, it all boils down to what you see below. As we start defining what we want to sound like and what concepts we use to get to that sound, well continually come back to what you see below. We may find different ways to say it, and I definitely encourage everyone to bring to the table anything that has helped you personally in grasping these basic elements.

BLEND

  • make a sound that blends in with the guys around you
  • add to the sound around you
  • don't sing PAST the sound around you
  • ALWAYS sing in tune; tune to the high side of where you need to be

ENERGY

  • ALWAYS sing with vocal and visual energy
  • weight on your toes
  • face activated
  • use your WHOLE BODY to sing
  • keep energy in every sound

PRODUCTION

  • every sound is TALL and FORWARD. ALWAYS do both of these. Other ways to express this: every sound has width and brilliance, every sound has depth and ping.
  • if a sound is "too dark", it's because it doesn't have enough ping, brilliance, forward feel
  • if a sound is "too bright", it's because it doesn't have enough height, chest tone, tallness, warmth
  • NEVER take away resonance, always add
  • the smoothness, fullness, and drive in the sound happens from the back of your mouth all the way down to your toes
  • the diction and clarity in the sound happens from your tongue and lips - diction DOESN'T happen anywhere behind this. SO ... keep your jaw dropped ALWAYS; make the diction happen with your tongue and by keeping the sounds on your lips.

SING THE SAME SOUNDS AT THE SAME TIME

  • there are 12 and ONLY 12 vowels
  • start and finish sound together; if there are sounds before or after the target vowel, put them in
  • all vowels involve a vertical mouth shape, trumpeted lips
  • most vowels involve tucking the sides of your mouth in
  • DON'T let any sound get spread horizontally
  • breathe thru the vowel you're about to sing
  • the target vowel ALWAYS happens at the note value. Anything before the target vowel happens BEFORE this note, and the stuff after the target happens at the end of the note
  • start and finish all sounds together, including target vowels, diphthongs, singable consonants, and non-singable consonants

MUSICALITY

  • Make this happen on your own
  • Everything should have artistry to it
  • Every line and held note has direction
  • Important words should sound important; unimportant words (usually "the", "of", "an") should be de-stressed
  • Lines that flow should flow and not have sounds jump out. Everything should flow "in line" as opposed to side-to-side
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