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Using inflections when you sing will really add color and make your voice stand out from all the other singers. Inflections add variety and emphasizes specific places in a song. Have you ever tossed a rock into the water and made it skip across the surface of the water? When you make the rock skip, it causes a rippling effect in the water. That’s what inflections do to sound of your voice. All singers want to avoid boring their audience.…
There are different types of patterns in a song. The song form is typically a pattern. There are also melodic patterns as a singer sings the song. The harmonic patterns, rhythmic patterns and alternative patterns, played by the piano and other instruments throughout the song. There are some basic types of musical forms (song form), for instance verse-verse-chorus-verse (AABA) or verse-chorus-verse-chorus (ABAB). Some songs are written with a verse, bridge, chorus (ABC). The melodic patterns are a repetitive pattern of…
To create your best singing voice, it all starts with phonation. The process of sound starts with breathing into your rib cage, a brief suspension of the air, and exhalation of the air. Phonation occurs when the air is exhaled. Sound also begins as you exhale and this is called initiation or vocal onset. Phonation is the process of converting exhaled air pressure into an audible vibrational sound. As the air passes through the vocal cords (folds), it creates vibration…
Music theory is the study of music, examining all of the components that are used in writing a piece of music. It is the foundation for anyone learning how to play piano, musician or singer. Theory deepens your ability to understand how music is put together. It is the compilation of methods and concepts musicians use in creating music. The four key elements are music notation (written music for playing piano or sung by a human voice), time signature, key…
Your vocal cords (also called vocal folds) are two bands of muscle that sit horizontally inside your voice box which is your larynx. When you sing breathing in, your vocal cords open. As you exhale while singing, a resistance of air flow is created by the vocal cords coming together creating sound. As they resist the air flow your vocal cords will vibrate producing the sound waves for your voice. Air pressure from the resistance is converted into sound waves.…
It’s important to understand your voice when you sing. There are three basic elements to produce sound when you are singing: air supply, vibration and resonance. The amount of air-flow and pressure passing through the larynx will determine the strength and loudness of a voice. The air pressure is converted into vibration, which is called phonation. As the air passes through the vocal tract, the air pressure causes vibration which creates the sound when you sing. You shape your tone…
What brings music to life? Dynamics, they are the variations of loudness and softness between notes and phrases in a song. Dynamics offer, a singer or pianist (musician) a way to show expression and feeling in a song. Using a variation of loudness and softness in music builds a song a brings it to life! Otherwise, your music will fall flat and lifeless. When you sing a song or play a song on the piano, using dynamics will make a…
To sing or play like a pro you must have the ability to “keep time” accurately and to synchronize (play at the same time) with other instruments and singers. A steady tempo, whether you are singing or playing piano, is one of the easiest ways to tell an amateur from a professional. An audience has the ability to feel the beat while listening to music. So much so, that any deviations from the rhythm are immediately noticed and can give…
Your vocal cords (folds) are two bands of muscle tissue. The bands come together and vibrate to create sound when you sing. How do you damage your vocal cords? There are many ways singers can damage their vocal cords. As you might imagine, too much yelling is the most common way to damage your vocal cords. Whether it’s a Super Bowl game, rock concert, or maybe a bad temper, chronic screaming will strain your vocal cords and cause damage over…
Technique is a skillful way of executing a song, whether it is singing or playing the piano. Technique deals with the concept of tone, musicality and expression in your performance. Proper vocal technique allows singers to produce a warm, rich sound that is conducive to achieving a good vocal performance. Your posture, breathing, keeping an open throat, dropping your jaw, open your mouth (approx. 2 fingers from top teeth to bottom teeth) and shoulders back (don’t slouch. All of these…