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Any aspiring singer should aim to achieve clear enunciation (to articulate, pronounce each syllable). The right inflections (rise and fall of pitch), diction (words chosen for phasing) and pronunciation (the way you sound out a word) affect the feeling of a song. If you are mumbling the words you are singing, you will not get your message across because no one will know what the song is about. A good singer will have clear enunciation and they will craft each…

There are certain qualities that are needed to be a great singer. There are different ways to help a singer create their own style and make them stand out from the rest. You need the talent, but it’s more than just talent. You need to stand out from the rest. Here are a few tips to help you move forward. Some artists start their career singing a song that was made famous by someone else. If you are going to…

Are you a soprano or tenor who’s hoping to expand your range into those lower notes? While you may have mastered those high notes, you need to develop your lower range to be an amazing singer. When you are practicing your daily vocal exercises really push into those lower notes. With practice, you will be able to sing a range of notes that span from the top of the range down to the bottom. There are five groups of muscles…

An insane amount of work goes into making a performance look easy. Whenever an artist performs there is a lot of preparation that goes into the performance. People want to hear a singer or pianist who will make it sound easy. The words and notes need to flow out from them effortlessly in a natural way. This helps the listener feel relaxed. If the singer is straining their vocal cords and throat, or a pianist is trying too hard playing…

There are different ways to add variety and create your own sound when you sing or play the piano. If you use inflections, dynamics, accents, staccatos and emotion into your performance it takes you to a whole new level. If you are singing or playing in a band, timing is essential! For voice using inflections is related to a change in pitch or tone; the rise and fall of a singer’s pitch. Adding inflection into your singing voice adds variety…

When you begin to sing, you will inhale causing the diaphragm muscles to constrict, which causes the lungs to expand and fill up with air. As you exhale, the diaphragm muscles contract causing increased pressure and creating a vibration of the vocal cords (folds). The exhaled breath is then forced out of the lungs along the trachea, passing through the vocal cords, which are capable of vibrating at an incredibly fast rate. For singing to exist, the vocal cords must…

A chord is also called a triad, which is typically a group or a set of three (or more) notes played simultaneously. A chord can be three notes or more, whereas a triad is always three notes arranged in thirds. Any chord can be inverted, when you arranged a chord in a different order it’s called an inversion. What is an inversion? Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “the process or result of changing or reversing the relative positions of the…

Diction is the art of speaking (rap) or singing so that each word is clearly heard. It is the way in which you enunciate our words as you sing them. Good diction includes the accent, inflection, intonation and the sound; how you sing your vowels sounds and close out your words. Closing out words is very important. For instance, “important” people tend to leave off the “t” at the end. Another word “listen,” make sure you enunciate the last letter…

A motif is the smallest possible group of notes encapsulating an idea or theme. A motif is a molecule of music, reoccurring throughout the song in different variations. It may have melodic (melody), harmonic (harmonies), and/or rhythmic aspects to the music phrase. A motif can be played on a piano, sung by a singer or played with other instruments. A composer will use a motif to build a larger piece of music by duplicating, modifying and combining it with other…

This method is basically a way to learn how to write a song by using a “template” guide. Choose one of your favorite songs and use it as a template to build and write your own song. Learning from successful songwriters will give you a good understanding of the process. This method is to help you put a song together and to get your creativity juices flowing. You will begin by taking the song apart. You want to figure out…